States parties to the Istanbul Convention lack protection for children and domestic violence victims

States parties to the Istanbul Convention lack protection for children and domestic violence victims
Photo by Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence on Council of Europe Website

15-06-2022

Manon Picard

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defence.

The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) published its third generational report covering the period from January 2021 to December 2022. GREVIO’s mandate is to monitor the proper implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention) in the States that have signed and ratified the Convention. 

This year’s report focused on child custody and visitation as well as domestic violence victims. While the report acknowledges and welcomes the positive steps taken by States to implement the Istanbul Convention, the Group of Experts stated that “the road ahead is long” because the implementation is inconsistent. This can be demonstrated through the “alarming rate of homicides of both women and child victims, which are reported regularly in the media across Europe”. On the other hand, GREVIO emphasised the positive development in many States to “recognise harm done to children who witness domestic violence”. States such as Montenegro, Italy, the Netherlands, Andorra, Spain, Denmark, and Poland have implemented legislation whereby committing domestic violence that is witnessed by a child is considered equivalent to the child being a victim of domestic violence. 

Although progress has been made, GREVIO’s report states that there remain too many gaps in the protection for children and domestic violence victims. Although the following list does not apply to all States Parties to the Istanbul Convention, the report gives the following examples regarding the progress States need to make in order to achieve the necessary level of protection:

“Lack of provision of protection and support to child witnesses when violence occurs in the family unit […] 

Insufficient protection of domestic violence victims and their children […]

Failure to ensure safe supervised visitation […] 

“Parental alienation” minimising evidence of domestic violence in civil proceedings”.  

Sources and further reading:

Council of Europe. (2022, June 14). Domestic violence: Countries should improve child custody safety and victim protection. Newsroom – Council of Europe. Retrieved on June 15, 2022, from https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/domestic-violence-countries-should-improve-child-custody-safety-and-victim-protection

Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. (2022, June). 3rd Generational Report on GREVIO’s Activities. https://rm.coe.int/prems-055022-gbr-2574-rapportmultiannuelgrevio-texte-web-16x24/1680a6e183

Council of Europe. (2022, June 14). Domestic violence: Countries should improve child custody safety and victim protection (report). Directorate of Communications. Retrieved on June 15, 2022, from https://search.coe.int/directorate_of_communications/Pages/result_details.aspx?ObjectId=0900001680a6e434