04/03/2016 Standing Committee
In unanimously adopting a resolution on “Systematic collection of data on violence against women”, based on a report prepared by Maria Edera Spadoni (Italy, NR), PACE Standing Committee, meeting in Paris today, stressed that violence against women cannot be combatted effectively without reliable data.
“Underreporting of violence against women is widespread and the figures given in population surveys do not match police or other official records”, the resolution underlines. Member states, none of which is immune to this phenomenon, must “step up efforts in awareness-raising campaigns encouraging reporting and rebuilding trust in national authorities to whom victims would report.”
The adopted text also draws attention to good practices in data collection on violence against women and makes concrete recommendations and calls on Council of Europe member states which have not yet done so to sign and/or ratify the Istanbul Convention.