Today, the Women against Violence Europe (WAVE) Network launches the European campaign Step up! In the next two years, WAVE members will promote the rights of women survivors of violence and their children to access support and protection throughout Europe. Violence against women and girls remains the most widespread form of human rights violation and it can be fatal - in 2012, an estimated 47% of all homicides of women were committed by a family member or an intimate partner.
The under-investment in adequate support has to do with the wide-spread victim-blaming, also responsible for the under-reporting of violence. Most societies prohibit such violence but tacitly tolerate it in practice, so women have no alternative and endure repeated violence. The costs of this repeated violence affect all of us. Support services are vital to enable women and their children to seek safety and empowerment for violence-free lives. Therefore we urge the European society to step up investments in specialized services that work from a women’s rights perspective and make a difference.
Figures that speak about the lack of access to specialized services (WAVE Report 2015):
- Only 15 out of 46 European countries provide a helpline that runs 24/7 and is free of charge. Serbia still does not have SOS helpline available 24/7.
- More than 47,000 women’s shelter places are missing in Europe, particularly in new EU member states that have joined after 2004 and non-EU member states , according to Council of Europe standards. By the standards of Councel of Europe Serbia lacks more than 500 places.
- Support centres for women and girls victims of rape and sexual assault are not available in most countries. Serbia does not have support centers for women and girls victims of sexual violence.
- Access to specialised support services is hindered for many women, including Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), migrant and undocumented migrant, differently-abled, elderly and LGBT women. Serbia has no data on the needs and services for women from multiple marginalized social groups.
WAVE Network and Women Against Violence Network in Serbia invite key decision makers at national and European level to:
- Actively support prevention and protection for victims of violence against women;
- Commit to improving access to specialised support services for ALL women and their children;
- Increase the availability of specialist support services in Europe (particularly women’s helplines, shelters and centres);
- Improve the quality of support services, which are best provided by independent women’s organisations that place women’s needs and rights at the heart of their work.
SOS telephones of women's organizations members of Women Against Violence Network in Serbia last year rang around 11,000 times. We have provided support to more than 4,000 women. Only 9 out of 29 organizations received support for their work from the local budget - an average of about 150 000 dinars per year, which is far below any minimum required for the operation of these services.
Because violence against women is a collective problem, which has a huge impact on women’s economic freedom and potential, and ultimately enormous repercussions on the world’s economy, the campaign calls on the business and philanthropy sector in Serbia to
“Step up investments to support survivors”
Partnering for change is essential, and we call on each and every one of you! Join the Step up! Campaign!
Step up and stand together to end violence against women and their children!
While 1 in 3 women in Europe experiences physical or sexual violence, the states women pay taxes to continue to ensure little or no access to specialised support services. Only 15 out of 46 European countries provide a specialised helpline and more than 47,000 women’s shelter places are missing in Europe. Support centres for rape and sexual assault are not available. Discrimination hinders most vulnerable women from accessing support! "There is a serious underinvestment in specialised support services in many countries in Europe and as a consequence women have nowhere to turn for adequate help. We call on EU authorities, national governments and other interested parties in society to STEP UP investments to stop violence against women!"(Rosa Logar, WAVE president)
