Greece
05.02.03
Urgent Interventions
Press Release: OMCT launches its latest four publications on violence against women in Greece, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Zambia
CORRIGENDUM
Please note that the report on Violence against Women in Greece is a joint Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and OMCT report.
PRESS RELEASE
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) launches its latest four publications on violence against women in Greece, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Zambia.
Tuesday, 5 February 2003
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) is pleased to announce the publication of its four latest alternative reports on “Violence against Women in Greece,” “Violence against Women in Sri Lanka,” “Violence against Women in Tunisia,” and “Violence against Women in Zambia,” which OMCT has prepared for and submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
In submitting alternative reports to the CEDAW, OMCT seeks to provide de facto information concerning violence against women, including torture, in a specific country as well as to highlight the laws, both penal and civil, of the States concerned, which discriminate against women or which, without being discriminatory as such, become so through their application. Unequal power relations between men and women have led to the domination of and discrimination against women, which in turn may lead to violence against women.
Violence against women and girls persists around the world on a daily basis. Women frequently experience physical and psychological violence at the hands of State agents as well as within the domestic sphere by their own family members. Although States are obligated under international law to prevent, investigate and punish all forms of violence against women, regardless of whether the perpetrator is a public or private figure, States rarely fulfil this duty adequately.
The four latest reports published by OMCT examine the grave problem of violence against women in Greece, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Zambia. Despite the fact that these four countries are located in vastly different regions of the world, with different cultural attitudes and varying levels of development, there are commonalities between these four nations with respect to violence against women. Violence against women is a phenomenon that transcends region, culture, and economic development.
For example, not one of these countries has enacted specific legislation addressing domestic violence, a basic human rights violation. Although women may be able to prosecute their husbands or boyfriends for assault under the various laws of these countries, these laws do not recognize the particular difficulties faced by women victims of domestic violence, such as familial and societal pressure not to press charges or the immediate need for protection through restraining orders, shelters, and other such mechanisms. Furthermore, specific legislation on domestic violence would ideally provide for gender sensitivity training for law enforcement and judicial personnel to recognize the particular position of victims of domestic violence. Without specific laws concerning violence in home, women will not likely press charges, or if they do choose to press charges initially, they will likely withdraw their complaint due to pressure from the family and surrounding community, as well as inadequacy of police and judicial officers to effectively address the issue of domestic violence. Specific legislation on domestic violence is an essential first step to successfully combating domestic violence.
General recommendation 19 of CEDAW calls on States Parties to enact specific domestic violence legislation as soon as possible and during its sessions, CEDAW appropriately recognized each of these countries failure to follow through with this general recommendation. For all four States, prevention, investigation and punishment of domestic violence remain principal areas of concern to be taken up again when they are next examined at CEDAW.
OMCT also expressed concern at reports of violence against women perpetrated by State agents in all four countries, particularly violence against women in detention or under arrest. State agents use sexual violence, including rape, and sexual harassment to exert power over women. Often, these State agents enjoy impunity while the women suffer in silence, afraid to come forward with a complaint. To help prevent incidents of violence against women in detention, or under arrest, OMCT recommends that women only be searched by female law enforcement officers. Furthermore, all perpetrators of violence against women should be identified, investigated and duly punished.
Each of the reports ends with conclusions and recommendations intended as tools for the treaty bodies, States, human rights NGOs, women's organisations, members and non-members of the OMCT SOS-Torture network and anyone concerned by violence against women at all levels. The reports also include the Concluding Observations of CEDAW concerning these States.
· GHM and OMCT , Violence Against Women in Greece, GHM and OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-034-8, 72 pp.;
· Carin Benninger-Budel and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni ,Violence Against Women in Sri Lanka, OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-036-4, 52 pp.;
· Carin Benninger-Budel and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni, Violence Against Women in Tunisia, OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-036-4, 48 pp.;
· Carin Benninger-Budel and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni, Violence Against Women in Zambia, OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-037-2, 48 pp.
Copies available from OMCT at a cost of 10 CHF.
For further information concerning OMCT’s Violence Against Programme please contact the women’s desk at: cbb@omct.org or jb@omct.org
Please note that the report on Violence against Women in Greece is a joint Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and OMCT report.
PRESS RELEASE
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) launches its latest four publications on violence against women in Greece, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Zambia.
Tuesday, 5 February 2003
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) is pleased to announce the publication of its four latest alternative reports on “Violence against Women in Greece,” “Violence against Women in Sri Lanka,” “Violence against Women in Tunisia,” and “Violence against Women in Zambia,” which OMCT has prepared for and submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
In submitting alternative reports to the CEDAW, OMCT seeks to provide de facto information concerning violence against women, including torture, in a specific country as well as to highlight the laws, both penal and civil, of the States concerned, which discriminate against women or which, without being discriminatory as such, become so through their application. Unequal power relations between men and women have led to the domination of and discrimination against women, which in turn may lead to violence against women.
Violence against women and girls persists around the world on a daily basis. Women frequently experience physical and psychological violence at the hands of State agents as well as within the domestic sphere by their own family members. Although States are obligated under international law to prevent, investigate and punish all forms of violence against women, regardless of whether the perpetrator is a public or private figure, States rarely fulfil this duty adequately.
The four latest reports published by OMCT examine the grave problem of violence against women in Greece, Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Zambia. Despite the fact that these four countries are located in vastly different regions of the world, with different cultural attitudes and varying levels of development, there are commonalities between these four nations with respect to violence against women. Violence against women is a phenomenon that transcends region, culture, and economic development.
For example, not one of these countries has enacted specific legislation addressing domestic violence, a basic human rights violation. Although women may be able to prosecute their husbands or boyfriends for assault under the various laws of these countries, these laws do not recognize the particular difficulties faced by women victims of domestic violence, such as familial and societal pressure not to press charges or the immediate need for protection through restraining orders, shelters, and other such mechanisms. Furthermore, specific legislation on domestic violence would ideally provide for gender sensitivity training for law enforcement and judicial personnel to recognize the particular position of victims of domestic violence. Without specific laws concerning violence in home, women will not likely press charges, or if they do choose to press charges initially, they will likely withdraw their complaint due to pressure from the family and surrounding community, as well as inadequacy of police and judicial officers to effectively address the issue of domestic violence. Specific legislation on domestic violence is an essential first step to successfully combating domestic violence.
General recommendation 19 of CEDAW calls on States Parties to enact specific domestic violence legislation as soon as possible and during its sessions, CEDAW appropriately recognized each of these countries failure to follow through with this general recommendation. For all four States, prevention, investigation and punishment of domestic violence remain principal areas of concern to be taken up again when they are next examined at CEDAW.
OMCT also expressed concern at reports of violence against women perpetrated by State agents in all four countries, particularly violence against women in detention or under arrest. State agents use sexual violence, including rape, and sexual harassment to exert power over women. Often, these State agents enjoy impunity while the women suffer in silence, afraid to come forward with a complaint. To help prevent incidents of violence against women in detention, or under arrest, OMCT recommends that women only be searched by female law enforcement officers. Furthermore, all perpetrators of violence against women should be identified, investigated and duly punished.
Each of the reports ends with conclusions and recommendations intended as tools for the treaty bodies, States, human rights NGOs, women's organisations, members and non-members of the OMCT SOS-Torture network and anyone concerned by violence against women at all levels. The reports also include the Concluding Observations of CEDAW concerning these States.
· GHM and OMCT , Violence Against Women in Greece, GHM and OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-034-8, 72 pp.;
· Carin Benninger-Budel and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni ,Violence Against Women in Sri Lanka, OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-036-4, 52 pp.;
· Carin Benninger-Budel and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni, Violence Against Women in Tunisia, OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-036-4, 48 pp.;
· Carin Benninger-Budel and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni, Violence Against Women in Zambia, OMCT, 2002, ISBN: 2-88477-037-2, 48 pp.
Copies available from OMCT at a cost of 10 CHF.
For further information concerning OMCT’s Violence Against Programme please contact the women’s desk at: cbb@omct.org or jb@omct.org