24 Oct Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence reports on Montenegro and Turkey
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) published its evaluation reports on Montenegro and Turkey. The reports contain an overall analysis of the implementation of the provisions of the Istanbul Convention.
In the case of Turkey, GREVIO experts recognize progress with regard to measures to protect women from violence but point out that there is not enough data or evidence to show that cases of violence are effectively investigated, prosecuted and sanctioned. The report also, raises serious concerns that relate to underage and forced marriages, psychological violence and stalking. Besides that, the report indicates increasingly restrictive conditions placed on independent women’s organizations and the persistence of deep-seated, restrictive and stereotyped views of women’s roles which continue to pervade Turkish society, including at the highest political and public level, and which foment violence against women. The report urges authorities among others to step up measures to identify and remedy gaps in the institutional response to violence against women, recognize forced marriage and stalking as separate offences and develop training programmes for law enforcement authorities.
As regards Montenegro, GREVIO welcomes new legislation on domestic violence which introduces emergency barring and restraining orders, the criminalization of other forms of violence against women as required by the Istanbul Convention, namely stalking, female genital mutilation and forced sterilization and important rights for domestic violence victims, such as the right to legal aid. However, GREVIO notes that measures addressing other types of violence, such as rape and forced marriage need further improvement. GREVIO urges the Montenegrin authorities to set up rape crisis and/or sexual violence referral centres in sufficient numbers, ensure adequate training of professionals and develop sufficient funding opportunities for women’s NGOs that run specialist support services for victims.
References from the official website of the Council of Europe