The authorities in the Netherlands have made laudable efforts to implement the Istanbul Convention in recent years, according to the Council of Europe's expert group on violence against women (GREVIO). However, further action is required in some areas to fully comply with the convention.
Following an initial evaluation in January 2020, GREVIO has today published its first thematic report on the Netherlands, assessing the wide variety of measures taken by the Dutch authorities in recent years to prevent violence against women and domestic violence, and to deliver protection, support and justice for victims.
Positive trends
Today's report highlights a number of positive emerging trends, including measures to align Dutch criminal law with the Istanbul Convention, the adoption of national action plans addressing important forms of violence against women - such as sexual violence and femicide - and the focus placed by the Dutch authorities on preventing sexual violence and harassment in sport.
The report also praises additional funding and awareness-raising activities, as well as an increase in preventive measures.
Efforts still needed for women and children
Notwithstanding the progress achieved in recent years, GREVIO also identifies a number of areas which require urgent action by the authorities.
These include increasing the number and capacity of shelters providing safe accommodation to victims of violence against women, ensuring that shelters and specialist services cater for women at risk of overlapping forms of discrimination, and aligning definitions of domestic violence, both in law and practice, with the convention.
Despite some recognition of the fact that violence against women stems from their inequality with men, the report notes persisting shortcomings in understanding the gender-based nature of domestic violence and its disproportionate effect on women.
This can have an impact on multi-agency responses to domestic violence and on the determination of child custody and visitation arrangements after such violence, where women's victimisation by men is being overlooked or minimised, exposing women and their children to greater risk from current or former partners.
GREVIO also calls upon the authorities to expand the scope of existing legislation on emergency barring orders, to ensure that authorities can issue such orders immediately in cases of imminent danger, and to further develop their use and enforcement.
In addition, the report stresses the need for the authorities to diligently pursue every case of rape or sexual violence that is brought to their attention, and to end practices such as "reflection periods" that dissuade women from reporting such crimes.
Today's report has been published together with an initial response of the Dutch authorities.
GREVIO is the independent expert body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (known as the "Istanbul Convention") by the Parties. Open for signature to any country in the world in addition to the 46 Council of Europe member states, the treaty has been ratified so far by 38 states and the European Union, and signed by another six.
