31 DE MARÇO DE 2014

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- violence against women is a human rights violation,

- is widespread,

- and has devastating consequences for women, societies and economies.

You know, I never gave too much credit on statistics that have been pointed out so far about this

phenomenon, because I found them not accurate enough, or complete, either comparable.

Firstly, we must implement in all member Estates a data collection system based on the same methodology,

the same criteria and the same concepts. That is precisely what the Istanbul Convention stipulates.

Then, yes, we might say if the percentage of women victims of violence in Europe (which one, Europe-28, of

the European Union, or Europe-47, of the Council of Europe?), is this or that number.

What it has been done so far, at the European level, is a mix of statistics or, if we may say so, approaches

to reality.

Very well! The most credible and extended study produced up to now about this phenomenum, is the survey

produced by the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) of the European Union, having been interviewed

personally 42.000 women, the biggest sample of ever. And its conclusions are terrifying. Reality is even worst

than we could imagine!

– 1 in 3 women (33%) has suffered physical or sexual violence, during their life time;

– 13 million women continue to be aggressed presently;

– 5% of women declare having been raped;

– 20% of women declare having been victims of stalking;

– 43% of women were victims of psychological violence;

– 35% of the victims were sexually abused before the age of 15.

The great majority of victims do not complain, for shame, or afraid of double victimization and humiliation, or

because of pure fear, and because they simply do not trust the protection provided by the judicial system and

the police, what knocks down, by far, all known statistics.

And. If this is going on the European Union, we can imagine the situation in certain member Estates of the

Council of Europe where tradition, culture and religion still play an important role to inequalities, discrimination

and violence that victimizes women.

So, I propose that the Council of Europe should urgently create a partnership with FRA, the European

Union, and all Governments interested on giving their financial contribution, with the aim of extending this

survey to all member Estates of the Council of Europe that are not members of the European Union, with the

same structure, the same methodology and the same criteria of this study that comes to be published into

public.

The situation of European women is far worst then we though up to now. We must act, knowing deeply the

phenomenon of violence against women, as a base for implementation of policies, and spreading the truth to

the population.

Victims’ awareness

One of the main challenges if we want the Istanbul Convention to have a real impact on the lives of women

is to create the conditions for victims to realise what is happening to them and its gravity.

As I said, the majority of women who are victims of violence do not report it to the police. Many of them do

not even inform their friends or support structures.

All too often violence against women is not acknowledged as a human rights violation, even by its victims.

Some women feel that they are partly responsible for it, excuse it, justify it, FORGIVE.

At a meeting of the Parliamentary Network Women Free from Violence, last October, we heard this directly

from a former perpetrator of domestic violence, who told us his story: he humiliated and abused his partner,

psychologically and physically. He tried to kill her. But she always protected him, denying what was happening

even when the police came round to their home after having been called by neighbours. It took this woman ten