The ratification of the Istanbul Convention by the Republic of Moldova would ensure the prevention of violence against women, the protection of victims of violence and the punishment of the abusers. The Convention can enhance the development of free specialized services for victims of violence so as to satisfy the needs of female victims of violence. The ratification of the Convention would mean that the victims will receive a coordinated response when they report an act of violence: free medical services, placement services or psychological assistance services. Besides such services, the Convention would require the institution of punishment for abusers and this will make the victims be more determined to denounce aggressive partners, lawyer Arina Țurcanu, expert in the fight against violence against women, stated in an online forum entitled “How to stop violence against girls and women here and now”, IPN reports.
Arina Țurcanu said studies show three in four women in the Republic of Moldova were subject to violence by the partners. The real figures are yet higher. The current normative framework enables the victims of different forms of violence to benefit from free psychological assistance, but a mechanism by which the state could ensure such services in a consistent and coordinated way is not implemented.
According to the lawyer, in 2016 the Penal Code of the Republic of Moldova was amended and particular acts of violence that result in insignificant injury started to be punished with community service. But this punishment not always discourages the abusers from continuing to commit acts of violence in the family.
Since 2016, Moldova has made considerable progress in terms of legislation and practices. There was introduced the emergency protection order that is issued by the police immediately after the victims of domestic violence seeks support, following the assessment of risks. The order protects the victims during ten days and in the period these can ask the court to introduce protection measures for a period of up to 90 days.
Erik Wirkensjo, secretary at the Embassy of Sweden in Chisinau, spoke about the practices and initiatives to combat violence against women and promote gender equality in Sweden, which has an official feminist agenda. He said Sweden advanced a lot in ensuring gender equality, but gender-based violence persists. The subject returned to the Swedish government’s agenda after five women were killed by their life partner this spring. “We worked out an action plan for ten years to combat violence against women, which includes efforts to prevent, educate, help the victims and fight the abusers. When we speak about violence against women, I think this is not something that cannot be avoided. Violence against women is not a gender equality issue, but is a struggle against crime,” stated Erik Wirkensjo. According to him, the Istanbul Convention is the most advanced instrument for promoting the fight against violence against women.
The forum promoted the necessity of urgently fighting violence against girls and women. It was held to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Istanbul Convention that prevents and fights domestic violence and gender-based violence and aims to create a legislative framework that protects women affected by violence.
