Women and children versus domestic violence. Legal reflections, needs and challenges in Spain today

* The particular ‘gender violence’ legal definition under Spanish domestic law implies what is internationally understood as ‘gender-based domestic violence’. For the sake of clarity and to avoid confusion with other types of gender violence thus the expression ‘gender-based domestic violence’ is used here to accord with the ‘gender based’ violence legal definition in Spain. For the sake of accuracy the information contained in this article dates up to June 2004.

Abstract

Violence against women and girls or gender-based violence is a form of discrimination that constitutes ‘violence that is directed against a woman because she is a woman or that affects women disproportionately’. Violence against women has carelessly become a significant global public health problem affecting one-third of women in the world in 2013. Killings of women and girls by their male partners or ex-partners are not isolated incidents, but constitute ‘the ultimate act of violence that is experienced in a continuum of violence’. Gender-based domestic violence remains the most prevalent form of violence against women and girls that affects women of all social strata across the world. Violence against women, in the private sphere and in its different manifestations, is tantamount to violations of the rights to life, equality, dignity and non-discrimination, the right not to be subjected to torture and to other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, the right to liberty and security of person, the right to equal protection under the law, and the right to equality in the family, among other human rights. In addition, children who are victims and witnesses of that gender-based domestic violence suffer adverse effects on their health and in other ways also are ‘severely negatively impacted by [that] violence’. However gender-based domestic violence measures to protect child victims and witnesses of gender-related domestic violence remain weak in spite of the undeniable consensus among States on rights applicable to child victims and witnesses of crime. This article provides an overview of the issue of gender-based domestic violence and analyses the consideration given to the woman and child (of that woman) – both victims of intimate-partner domestic violence under international law and regional European law, and, in addition, under Spanish domestic legislation. The article highlights the latest developments in those three legal settings, including the forthcoming entry into force of the challenging and most comprehensive legal instrument on violence against women in the world today, the Istanbul Convention. The Convention provides at last formal (through judicial practice and legal instruments) recognition of children who witness gender-based domestic violence as victims of that gender-based violence. Also reviewed are recent jurisprudence/judicial practice, legal developments and challenges on this important subject in Spain. Final recommendations based on the aforementioned international, regional and domestic analysis are made to the State of Spain, recommendations applicable indeed to the practice in any country seeking international human rights compliance, good practices and redress, in an effective fight against gender-based domestic violence.

Keywords:

• violence against women
• gender-based domestic violence
• violence against children
• human rights violations
• protection of children witnesses victims of domestic violence
• International law
• Regional European law
• Spanish domestic law
• Istanbul Convention
• jurisprudence
• case-law
• European Court of Human Rights
• State responsibility
• State due diligence obligation
• good practices and redress

Acknowledgements

Dedicated to all the victims of gender-based domestic violence. With thanks to the legal, judicial and police professionals in Spain working in the fight against violencia de género and who have kindly shared their views on the subject with me.

For a list of International legislation, Resolutions/Recommendations/General Comments, case law, UN reports, EU reports, Spanish national legislation and draft legislation, Spanish regional legislation, coordination and risk assessment protocols, National Action Plans, and other relevant bibliographic material please contact the author.

Notes on contributor

María del Pilar Villanueva Sainz-Pardo is a Spanish qualified lawyer member of Valencia's Bar Association (Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Valencia, ICAV). Pilar is specialised in international human rights law (LLM in International Human Rights Law, University of Essex) and international criminal law (LLM in International Criminal Law, UNICRI/Torino University). She holds more than 12 years of professional experience working with United Nations Peacekeeping Operations Missions tackling human rights situations relating not only to transitional justice and rule of law but also to international criminal law and international humanitarian law in conflict and post-conflict settings, including sexual and gender-based violence and women, peace and security issues. She has performed as Human Rights Observer, Human Rights Officer, Judicial Affairs Officer/Rule of Law Coordinator, Sexual Violence Advisor, UN Stabilisation Strategy Deputy Team Leader – with a focus on Rule of law and sexual and gender-based violence – and lately Human Rights Officer/Legal Parliament Team Leader in countries such as Haiti, DRC and Timor-Leste. Pilar was also Chief of Mission with ASF-B in Burundi and Legal Adviser Coordinator of the project ‘Attacks on Justice’ with the ICJ in Geneva. Email contact: [email protected], [email protected]. Postal address: C/Burriana N°. 26-8ª, 46005 Valencia, Spain.

Notes

* The particular ‘gender violence’ legal definition under Spanish domestic law implies what is internationally understood as ‘gender-based domestic violence’. For the sake of clarity and to avoid confusion with other types of gender violence thus the expression ‘gender-based domestic violence’ is used here to accord with the ‘gender based’ violence legal definition in Spain. For the sake of accuracy the information contained in this article dates up to June 2004.

1. The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), in its Agreed Conclusions adopted at its 57th session, and the General Assembly, in Resolution 68/191, used the term ‘gender-related killing of women and girls’.

2. See Article 4(c) of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, General Assembly Resolution 48/104 of 20 December 1993: ‘( … )punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons’.

3. See UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, 2012, A/HRC/20/16, at paras 82 and 85. http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/alldocs.aspx?doc_id=20220

4. Among them at the international level, the 1979 United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the CEDAW Committee's General Recommendation No. 19 (1992) on Violence against Women ensured recognition of gender-based violence against women as a form of discrimination against women; the 1993 United Nations General Assembly's Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women laid the foundation for international action on violence against women, while strengthening the principles that the 1993 Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action set for the protection and promotion of women and girls’ human rights; the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action identified the eradication of violence against women as a strategic objective among other gender equality requirements; in relation to violence against women in armed conflict and post-conflict situations the United Nations Security Council adopted Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), and lately 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013); the 2006 UN Secretary-General, In-Depth Study on all Forms of Violence against Women identified the different manifestations and settings, and international legal frameworks, relating to violence against women; and Human Rights Council Resolutions 14/12 (2010) Accelerating Efforts to Eliminate all Forms of Violence against Women aimed at ensuring States maintained due diligence in prevention, 17/11 (2011) reaffirming and building upon Human Rights Council Resolution 14/12 (2010) , 20/6 (2012) On the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and 20/12 (2012) on Accelerating Efforts to Eliminate all Forms of Violence against Women and remedies for women who have been subjected to violence. At the European regional level, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has also a demonstrated approach countering all forms of violence against women and has adopted Resolution 1247 (2001) on Female Genital Mutilation, Resolution 1582 (2002) on Domestic Violence, Resolution 1327 (2003) on so-called ‘Honour Crimes’, Recommendation 1723 (2005) on Forced Marriages and Child Marriages, Recommendation 1777 (2007) on Sexual Assaults Linked to ‘Date-Rape Drugs’, Resolution 1654 (2009) on Feminicides, Resolution 1691 (2009) on Rape of Women, Including Marital Rape, and more recently the 2011 Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) to enter into force on 1 August 2014. In addition, at the American and African regional levels respectively, the 1994 Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women (so-called Belém do Pará Convention) adopted by the Organisation of American States, and finally, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, adopted in 2003 by the African Union, set the global human rights legal framework addressing all forms of violence against women.

5. ‘Nearly one third of ever-partnered women (30.0%) have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner, and 7.2% of adult women have experienced sexual violence by a non-partner’, with some women experiencing both. WHO, ‘Global and Regional Estimates of Violence against Women: Prevalence and Health Effects of Intimate Partner Violence and Non-Partner Sexual Violence’, WHO Report 2013, 31, Section 4: Summary and Conclusions. http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/9789241564625/en/

6. See UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Summary and 4, 5, 7, 15 and 21.

7. See Annual Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, 2012, A/67/230, para. 93. http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/documents/docs/A_67_230_EN.pdf

8. Women experiencing partner violence ‘have 16% greater odds of having a low-birth- weight baby; are more than twice as likely to have an induced abortion; are more than twice as likely to experience depression; and in some regions, they are 1.5 times more likely to acquire HIV, and 1.6 times more likely to have syphilis, compared to women who do not suffer partner violence’. WHO, ‘Global and Regional Estimates of Violence against Women’, 31, Section 4: Summary and Conclusions.

9. Ibid., 36.

10. See Executive Summary, WHO, ‘Global and Regional Estimates of Violence against Women’.

11. See European Parliament A7-0075/2014, Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, 31 January 2014, Rapporteur: Antonyia Parvanova (Initiative – Rule 42 of the Rules of Procedure), Motion For A European Parliament Resolution With Recommendations to the Commission on Combating Violence against Women (2013/2004(INL)), 15. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A7-2014-0075+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN

12. See 2013/2004(INL) – 31 January 2014, Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading, Summary. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/printsummary.pdf?id=1335345&l=en&t=D

13. See Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Agreed Conclusions on the Elimination and Prevention of all Forms of Violence against Women and Girls’, Fifty-Seventh Session (New York: United Nations, 4–15 March 2013), E/2013/27, E/CN.6/2013/11, paras 18 and 35. http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/csw57/CSW57_Agreed_Conclusions_(CSW_report_excerpt).pdf

14. Ibid., para. 3.

15. See Bevacqua and S. v. Bulgaria, Application No. 71127/01, ECHR judgment of 12 June 2008, paras 64–5; Sandra Janković v. Croatia, Application No. 38478/05, paras 44–5, ECHR 2009; and B. v. the Republic of Moldova, Application No. 61382/09, ECHR judgment of 16 July 2013. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/caselaw/CASE%20OF%20B.%20v.%20THE%20REPUBLIC%20OF%20MOLDOVA.pdf

16. Article 1 of CEDAW (http://www.ohchr.org/en/ProfessionalInterest/pages/cedaw.aspx) reads: ‘For the purposes of the present Convention, the term “discrimination against women” shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.’

17. See Istanbul Convention in its Preamble: http://www.conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/210.htm

18. See T.M. and C.M. v. The Republic of Moldova, Application No. 26608/11, ECHR Judgment of 28 January 2014, para. 59: ‘a prosecutor refused to start a criminal investigation because it did not regard the injuries on the first applicant's body as severe enough, which underlines the failure to realise, or to explain to the law-enforcement authorities, the specific nature of domestic violence, which does not always result in physical injury’, and para. 60, stressing the particular vulnerability of victims of domestic violence. http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/Pages/search.aspx#{"documentcollectionid2":["GRANDCHAMBER","CHAMBER"],"itemid":["001-140240"]}. See also B. v. the Republic of Moldova, Application No. 61382/09, ECHR judgment of 16 July 2013, para. 70. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/caselaw/CASE%20OF%20B.%20v.%20THE%20REPUBLIC%20OF%20MOLDOVA.pdf

19. See CEDAW Committee, General Comment No. 19 (11th session, 1992), Violence against Women. http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/recommendations/recomm.htm#recom19

20. Ibid., paras 9 and 23.

21. In T.M. and C.M. v. The Republic of Moldova the Court found that ‘the authorities’ actions were not a simple failure or delay in dealing with violence against the first applicant, but amounted to condoning such violence and reflected a discriminatory attitude towards her as a woman’. In the present case the Court found a violation of Article 14 – prohibition of discrimination – in conjunction with Article 3 – prohibition of torture. See above, Application No. 26608/11, ECHR Judgment of 28 January 2014

22. See T.M. and C.M. v. The Republic of Moldova, para. 57: ‘The Court points out its finding that the State's failure to protect women against domestic violence breaches their right to equal protection of the law and that this failure does not need to be intentional.’ http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/Pages/search.aspx#{"documentcollectionid2":["GRANDCHAMBER","CHAMBER"],"itemid":["001-140240"]}. See in the same sense Opuz v. Turkey, Application No. 33401/02, para. 191, ECHR 2009. http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/Pages/search.aspx#{"appno":["33401/02"],"itemid":["001-92945"]}

23. Women, children and other vulnerable persons are entitled to effective protection inherent in effective ‘respect’ for private and family life, and these obligations may involve the adoption of measures by the State in the sphere of the relations of individuals between themselves. See B. v. the Republic of Moldova, Application No. 61382/09, ECHR judgment of 16 July 2013, para. 69. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/caselaw/CASE%20OF%20B.%20v.%20THE%20REPUBLIC%20OF%20MOLDOVA.pdf

24. See CEDAW Committee, General Comments No. 19 (11th session, 1992) on Violence against Women and No. 21 (13th session, 1994) on Equality in Marriage and Family Relations. See also Statement of Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women its Causes and Consequences, Rajida Manjoo, ‘Femicide – A Global Issue that Demands Action’, Symposium organised by the Academic Council on the United Nations System, Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 26 November 2012, 94 et ff. See also UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, para. 82.

25. See UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, para. 76.

26. ‘The Commission recognizes that all human rights are universal, indivisible and interdependent and interrelated and that the international community must treat human rights globally in a fair and equal manner, on the same footing and with the same emphasis, and stresses that, while the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is the duty of States regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms.’ See Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Agreed Conclusions on the Elimination and Prevention of All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls’, para. 15.

27. Ibid., para. 12.

28. See Statement of Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Rajida Manjoo, ‘Femicide – A Global Issue that Demands Action’, 94 et. ff.

29. See Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Agreed Conclusions on the Elimination and Prevention of All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls’, para. 16.

30. See Human Rights Council Resolution, Accelerating Efforts to Eliminate all Forms of Violence against Women: Ensuring Due Diligence in Prevention, Fourteenth Session, A/HRC/14/L.9/Rev.1, 16 June 2010, para. 1.

31. ‘Some steps taken by States to comply with their due diligence obligation to prevent violence against women include the adoption of specific legislation, the development of awareness-raising campaigns, and the provision of training for professional groups including the police, prosecutors and members of the judiciary. Some States have adopted national action plans on violence against women in an effort to coordinate activities between and within government agencies and to take a multi-sectoral approach to prevent violence.’ Statement of Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Rajida Manjoo, ‘Femicide – A Global Issue that Demands Action’, 94 et. ff.

32. See Jallow v. Bulgaria, 2012, Communication No. 32/2011, CEDAW/C/52/D/32/2011, para. 8.8 (c). http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/caselaw/Jallow%20v.%20Bulgaria%20(2012).pdf .

33. See Expert Group Meeting, ‘Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls’, Bangkok, Thailand, 17–20 September 2012, convened by UN Women in cooperation with ESCAP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO in preparation for the Fifty-Seventh Session of the CSW of March 2013, para. 61. EGM/PP/2012/Report. http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/CSW/57/EGM/Report-of-the-EGM-on-Prevention-of-Violence-against-Women-and-Girls%20pdf.pdf

34. For instance, only one plan discussed among a 2010 review of National Action Plans on Violence against Women took a long-term, multi-sectoral and holistic approach to prevention, with appropriate institutional support mechanisms and commensurate investment, while most of the assessed policies were limited to responding to existing violence. Those that did also contain specific prevention actions largely focussed on raising awareness of new laws or where to access services, with some containing one-off or single-sector prevention activities such as social marketing campaigns or schools-based programmes. See UN Women, Handbook for National Action Plans on Violence against Women (2010), citing Government of Victoria, Australia, A Right to Respect: Victoria's Plan to Prevent Violence against Women 2010–2020 (2009).

35. See Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Agreed Conclusions on the Elimination and Prevention of All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls’, para. 33.

36. See Statement of Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Rajida Manjoo, ‘Femicide – A Global Issue that Demands Action’, 94 et. ff. See also UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, para. 103.

37. UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, para. 8.

38. See Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Agreed Conclusions on the Elimination and Prevention of All Forms of Violence against Women and Girls’, para. 34 (d): ‘(d) Address and eliminate, as a matter of priority, domestic violence through adopting, strengthening and implementing legislation that prohibits such violence, prescribes punitive measures and establishes adequate legal protection against such violence’.

39. Full report available at http://fra.europa.eu/en/press-release/2014/violence-against-women-every-day-and-everywhere

40. Ibid. See 2014 report, Violence against Women: An EU-wide Survey – Results at a Glance, 9 et ff. http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2014-vaw-survey-at-a-glance-apr14_en.pdf

41. See Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, Motion for a European Parliament Resolution with Recommendations to the Commission on Combating Violence against Women, 15.

42. Passerelle clauses allow derogation from the legislative procedures initially provided for by the Treaties. Check for more details: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/institutional_affairs/treaties/lisbon_treaty/ai0019_en.htm .

43. Article 83 (1) of the TFEU (http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:12012E/TXT) reads: ‘1. The European Parliament and the Council may, by means of directives adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, establish minimum rules concerning the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the areas of particularly serious crime with a cross-border dimension resulting from the nature or impact of such offences or from a special need to combat them on a common basis. These areas of crime are the following: terrorism, trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of women and children, illicit drug trafficking, illicit arms trafficking, money laundering, corruption, counterfeiting of means of payment, computer crime and organised crime. On the basis of developments in crime, the Council may adopt a decision identifying other areas of crime that meet the criteria specified in this paragraph. It shall act unanimously after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament.’

44. See 2013/2004(INL) – 31 January 2014, Committee Report Tabled for Plenary, Single Reading. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/summary.do?id=1335345&t=d&l=en. See also Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, Motion for a European Parliament Resolution with Recommendations to the Commission on Combating Violence against Women, ‘Explanatory Statement’, 15–18.

45. European Parliament Resolution of 25 February 2014 on Combating Violence against Women. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2014-0126#BKMD-30

46. See Council of Europe Conclusions, ‘Preventing and Combating all Forms of Violence against Women and Girls, Including Female Genital Mutilation’, Justice and Home Affairs, Council Meeting, Luxembourg, 5 and 6 June 2014. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/jha/143103.pdf

47. Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention). http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. Status of ratification of the Istanbul Convention available at http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ChercheSig.asp?NT=210&CM=1&DF=&CL=ENG. Ten countries have ratified the Convention, including eight Member States to the Council of Europe, among which is Spain. Twenty-three countries had signed it without ratification as of 11 June 2014.

48. See Art. 66 et. ff of the Istanbul Convention (Chapter IX – Monitoring Mechanism). http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-

49. Among them the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ETS No. 5, 1950) and its Protocols, the European Social Charter (ETS No. 35, 1961, revised in 1996, ETS No. 163), the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (CETS No. 197, 2005), the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (CETS No. 201, 2007), including Council of Europe Recommendation Rec(2002) 5 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the protection of women against violence.

50. Among them the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966), the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (‘CEDAW’, 1979) and its Optional Protocol (1999) as well as General Recommendation No. 19 of the CEDAW Committee on Violence against Women, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and its Optional Protocols (2000), the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (2002), the Geneva Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949) and its Additional Protocols I and II (1977).

51. Cf. Article 5 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-

52. Cf. Article 3 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-

53. Cf. Art. 12 (3) of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-

54. This special protection of LGBT persons is supported by and in line with Human Rights Council Resolution 17/19 on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, A/HRC/RES/17/19, of 14 July 2011. http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G11/148/76/PDF/G1114876.pdf?OpenElement, as well as with United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Report on Discriminatory Laws and Practices and Acts of Violence against Individuals Based on Their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, A/HRC/19/41, of 17 November 2011, where it is ‘confirmed that States have an obligation to protect everyone from discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. The fact that someone is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender does not limit their entitlement to enjoy the full range of human rights’ (para. 16). Nevertheless in Joslin v. New Zealand (CCPR/C/75/D/902/1999), the Human Rights Committee held that States are not required, under international law, to allow same-sex couples to marry, it confirmed in Young v. Australia (CCPR/C/78/D/941/2000, para. 10.4) the obligation to protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, an obligation which extends to ensuring that unmarried same-sex couples are treated in the same way and entitled to the same benefits as unmarried opposite-sex couples (para. 68). http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G11/170/75/PDF/G1117075.pdf?OpenElement

55. See Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, paras 19, 43 and 87. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

56. Cf. Art. 1 (b) of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention- .

57. Cf. Art. 3 (a) of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. See also Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 40. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

58. Ibid., para. 41, in reference to Article 3 (b) of the Istanbul Convention ‘Definitions, Domestic Violence’.

59. Ibid., para. 42.

60. See Thematic Report on Stalking. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/thematic_factsheets/Stalking_EN.pdf

61. Cf. Art. 34 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. See also Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 182 et. ff. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

62. Cf. Art. 78 (3) of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. See also Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, paras 185 and 382. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

63. Cf. Art. 48 (1) of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. See also Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 251 et. ff. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

64. See UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, 2013, A/HRC/23/49, para. 58. http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session23/A_HRC_23_49_English.pdf

65. Cf. Art. 48 (2) of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. See also Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 253. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

66. See Arts 59 to 61 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. See also Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 298 et. ff. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

67. See N. v. Sweden, Application No. 23505/09, ECHR Judgment of 20 July 2010, paras 51 and 62 (http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/pages/search.aspx#{"appno":["23505/09"],"itemid":["001-99992"]}). The Court found that the applicant's deportation from Sweden to Afghanistan would constitute a violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment) of the Convention and asserts that ‘expulsion by a Contracting State may give rise to an issue under Article 3, and hence engage the responsibility of that State under the Convention, where substantial grounds have been shown for believing that the person concerned, if deported, faces a real risk of being subjected to treatment contrary to Article 3. In such a case, Article 3 implies an obligation not to deport the person in question to that country.’ ( … ) ‘the Court finds that the implementation of the deportation order against the applicant would give rise to a violation of Article 3 of the Convention’.

68. Cf. Art. 46 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-.

69. See n. 54 on LGBT persons as vulnerable persons and the protection of their human rights.

70. See Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 234 et. ff. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

71. Report of the Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on Violence against Children (A/61/299), 2006, paras 34 and 47. http://www.unicef.org/violencestudy/reports/SG_violencestudy_en.pdf. See also SG Study on Violence against Children: Violence against Children in the Home and Family, Chapter 3, p. 70: ‘Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence in the Home’. http://www.unicef.org/violencestudy/3.%20World%20Report%20on%20Violence%20against%20Children.pdf

72. See CRC General Comment 13 (2011) The Right of the Child to Freedom from all Forms of Violence, CRC/C/GC/13, 18 April 2011, para. 15, ‘Survival and development – the devastating impact of violence against children’. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/CRC.C.GC.13_en.pdf.

73. See Annual Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, 2013, A/68/274, para. 43. http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/documents/docs/A-68-274_EN_0.pdf.

74. See Commission on the Status of Women, ‘Agreed Conclusions on the Elimination and Prevention of all Forms of Violence against Women and Girls’, paras 34 (uu) and (fff).

75. See Report of the Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on Violence against Children, para. 38.

76. See Annual Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, para. 12.

77. For a detailed description of the existing instruments regulating The Rights of Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime, A Compilation of Selected Provisions Drawn from International and Regional Instruments, second edition (International Bureau for Children's Rights, January 2005). http://ibcr.org/editor/assets/thematic_report/2/2005_compilation_en_1.pdf

78. Article 19 of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx) reads as follows: ‘1. States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child. 2. Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary support for the child and for those who have the care of the child, as well as for other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate, for judicial involvement.’

79. CRC General Comment 13 (2011) The Right of the Child to Freedom from all Forms of Violence, para. 2 ‘Rationale for the Present General Comment’.

80. Ibid., para. 3 (b) (c), and (h), ‘Overview’.

81. Ibid., at para. 72 (d) and (g), ‘Elements to be Mainstreamed into National Coordinating Frameworks’.

82. Refers to the 194 States Parties to the Child Convention as of June 2014. The status of ratification of the Child Convention is available at https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4&lang=en.

83. In reference to Arts 18 and 27 of the Child Convention. See CRC General Comment 13 (2011) The Right of the Child to Freedom from all Forms of Violence, para. 5, ‘States’ Obligations and the Responsibilities of Family and Other Actors’. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/CRC.C.GC.13_en.pdf.

84. Ibid., para. 4, ‘Definition of Violence’.

85. Ibid., para. 20 (b), ‘Neglect or Negligent Treatment’.

86. Ibid., para. 21 (e), ‘Mental Violence’.

87. See Joint Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children on Prevention of and Responses to Violence against Children Within the Juvenile Justice System, Human Rights Council Twenty-First Session, A/HRC/21/25, 27 June 2012, Summary. http://www.ipjj.org/fileadmin/data/documents/UN_documents/JointReport_HRCViolenceAgainstChildren_2012_EN.pdf.

88. Report of the Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on Violence against Children (A/61/299), 2006. http://www.unicef.org/violencestudy/reports/SG_violencestudy_en.pdf.

89. See Joint Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children on Prevention of and Responses to Violence against Children within the Juvenile Justice System, para. 8.

90. Report of the Independent Expert for the United Nations Study on Violence against Children, para. 25.

91. See Annual Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, 2013, para. 7.

92. See Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime (Economic and Social Council Resolution 2005/20, annex), para. 8 (III. Principles). http://www.un.org/en/pseataskforce/docs/guidelines_on_justice_in_matters_involving_child_victims_and.pdf and http://ibcr.org/editor/assets/thematic_report/2/ecosoc_res_2005-20_en.pdf.

93. See T.M. and C.M. v. The Republic of Moldova, para. 61. ‘The Court finally questions the attitude of the domestic court which, having examined the same materials of the case as those analysed in respect of the Article 3 complaint above and having cited the second applicant's statements that her father had verbally abused and hit her mother, found no evidence of domestic violence.’

94. See Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime, para. 1. The guidelines set forth ‘good practice based on the consensus of contemporary knowledge and relevant international and regional norms, standards and principles’. See also for a compilation of international standards covering each right International Bureau for Children's Rights, The Rights of Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime.

95. Human Rights Council Resolution 18/12, Human Rights in the Administration of Justice, in Particular Juvenile Justice, Eighteenth Session, A/HRC/RES18/12, 14 October 2011, 3. http://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/documents/docs/A_HRC_ES_18_12%20_Eng.pdf.

96. See General Assembly Resolution 68/189, 18 December 2013 (A/68/457), Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, paras 3 and 4. http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/5321b1da4.pdf.

97. Twenty-Third Session of the CCPCJ, ‘International Cooperation in Criminal Matters’, Vienna, 12–16 May 2014. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/commissions/CCPCJ/session/23_Session_2014/CCPCJ_23-Index.html.

98. See General Assembly Resolution 68/189, para. 8. See also Draft United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Report of the Expert Group on the Development of Draft Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Bangkok, 18–21 February 2014, UNODC/CCPCJ/EG.7/2014/4, para. 3. https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/IEGM_VAC_BKK/Report_of_the_meeting_VAC.pdf.

99. See United Nations Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Report of the Expert Group on the Development of Draft Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Children in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, ANNEX, paras 1 and 5.

100. Ibid., para. 8.

101. Ibid., para. 11 (b).

102. Ibid., para. 13 (a) and (b).

103. Ibid., para. 20 (a).

104. See European Report on Preventing Child Maltreatment, OMS 2013, at Executive Summary, and pp. 20, 22, 65 and 74. http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/217018/European-Report-on-Preventing-Child-Maltreatment.pdf.

105. Violence against Women: An EU-wide Survey – Results at a Glance

106. See ibid., 13.

107. Ibid., p. 24.

108. See Istanbul Convention Thematic Factsheet on Children's Rights. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/thematic_factsheets/Children_EN.pdf.

109. See The Hidden Victims of Gender-Based Domestic Violence: Children.

110. See CoE Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 1714 (2010) and Recommendation 1905 (2010) on Children Who Witness Domestic Violence, of 12 March 2010.

111. See Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on Child Friendly Justice, 17 November 2010, paras 1, 3, 65, 68, 74. https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CM/Del/Dec(2010)1098/10.2abc&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=app6&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=C3C3C3&BackColorIntranet=EDB021&BackColorLogged=F5D383.

112. See above Europe and Violence against Women: Latest Trends.

113. See 2013/2004(INL) – 31 January 2014 Committee Report Tabled for Plenary, Single Reading. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/summary.do?id=1335345&t=d&l=en. See also European Parliament A7-0075/2014, Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, 31 January 2014, Rapporteur: Antonyia Parvanova (Initiative – Rule 42 of the Rules of Procedure), Motion for a European Parliament Resolution with Recommendations to the Commission on Combating Violence against Women (2013/2004(INL)), ‘Explanatory Statement’, 15–18.

114. See Council of Europe Conclusions, ‘Preventing and Combating all Forms of Violence against Women and Girls, Including Female Genital Mutilation’, 2.

115. See above The Istanbul Convention.

116. See Preamble of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-.

117. See Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 27. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf.

118. Ibid., para. 239.

119. See European Court of Human Rights, Zaunegger v. Germany, judgment of 3 December 2009, para. 60.

120. See Art. 45 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-.

121. Cf. Article 31 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-. See also Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, para. 233. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf

122. See Jallow v. Bulgaria, 2012, Communication No. 32/2011, CEDAW/C/52/D/32/2011, para. 8.8 (b). http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/caselaw/Jallow%20v.%20Bulgaria%20(2012).pdf.

123. See Article 56 of the Istanbul Convention. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-.

124. See Eremia v. The Republic of Moldova, Application No. 3564/11, ECHR Judgement of 28 August 2013. http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/pages/search.aspx#{"appno":["3564/11"],"itemid":["001-119968"]}.The Court found a violation of Articles 3 (prohibition of torture), 8 (right to respect for private and family life) and 8.1 (respect for home and respect for private life), as well as a violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) in conjunction with Article 3 (prohibition of torture) of the European Convention of Human Rights.

125. See A. v. CROATIA Application No. 55164/08, Judgment of 14 October 2010, paras 55, 58–60.

126. See Report Information on Gender-Related Killings of Women and Girls Provided by Civil Society Organizations and Academia, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Twenty-Third Session Vienna, 12–16 May 2014, E/CN.15/2014/CRP.5, of 8 May 2014. http://www.unodc.org/documents/commissions/CCPCJ/CCPCJ_Sessions/CCPCJ_23/E-CN15-2014-CRP5_E.pdf.

127. See 2014 EU Survey on Violence against Women in Europe, Report of the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), 5 March 2014, pp. 16, 19 (Table 1) and 35 (Figure 8). http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2014-vaw-survey-at-a-glance-apr14_en.pdf

128. See Macroencuesta De Violencia De Género 2011, Delegación Del Gobierno Para La Violencia De Género, Secretaría De Estado De Servicios Sociales E Igualdad, Ministerio De Sanidad, Servicios Sociales E Igualdad. http://www.observatorioviolencia.org/upload_images/File/DOC1329745747_macroencuesta2011_principales_resultados-1.pdf.

129. See 2014 Report Violence against Women: An EU-wide Survey – Results at a glance, p. 13.

130. Ibid., p. 24.

131. See Fundación ANAR, Ayuda a Niños y Adolescentes en Riesgo » Presentación del Informe Teléfono ANAR 2013. http://www.anar.org/presentacion-del-informe-telefono-anar-2013/.

132. Ibid.

133. For more details please visit Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/docs/VMortales_2013_cierre_def(1).pdf.

134. See ‘Información estadística de violencia de género. Informe Anual – Año 2012’, p. 3, in Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/Boletines_Anuales/doc/Bolel_Estadist_Anual_2012.pdf.

135. For more details please visit “Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad”, available at http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/docs/VMortales_menores_2013_cierr.pdf .

136. Official statistics regrettably do not specify the nationality of the children left orphans as consequence of the fatal domestic violence exerted over their mothers. See ‘Víctimas mortales por violencia de género. Año 2013’, in Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/docs/VMortales_2013_cierre_def(1).pdf.

137. Organic Law 1/2004 of 28 December, on Integral Protection Measures against Gender Violence (Ley Orgánica 1/2004, de 28 de diciembre, de Medidas de Protección Integral contra la Violencia de Género, BOE A-2004-21760). http://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2004-21760. The Organic Law promulgated on 29 December 2004 entered into force on 28 January 2005, with the exception of Titles IV and V covering criminal and judicial protection respectively, which entered into force on 29 June 2005 as provided for by the Organic Law's final provision number seven.

138. For more details on data please visit Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad.

139. For more details on 10 June 2014 data please visit Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/docs/VMortales_2014_10_06.pdf

140. For more details please visit Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/docs/VMortales_2014_01_02.pdf.

141. See Ibid.

142. See Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Spain, Forty-Fourth Session, 20 July–7 August 2009, CEDAW/C/ESP/CO/6, para. 20.

143. For instance, in 2010, 30.1% of the 73 fatal victims had reported their case to the authorities, and 17.8% of them had a valid protection order at the time of their domestic violence murder. In 2011, 24.6% of the 61 murdered women had reported their case to the authorities, with 13.1% of them having a valid protection order at the time of their murder. Only 19.2% of the 52 fatal victims in 2012 had reported their case to the authorities, and 7.7% had a valid protection order at the time of the mortal domestic violence attack. While 20.4% of the 54 deadly victims had reported their case in 2013, and 7.4% had a valid protection order at the time of the mortal domestic violence attack. Most recent data show that in January 2014, 42.9% of the seven fatal victims had reported their case to the authorities, while 0% of them had a valid protection order at the time of their domestic violence murder. For more statistical details please visit Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/fichaResumen/home.htm and http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/home.htm.

144. Ibid. See above compared data in Spain between 2010 and 2014.

145. Children of the women victims of domestic violence murdered by their male partners or ex-partners, having been murdered together with their mothers are ‘institutionally’ considered as victims of that gender-based domestic violence. Official institutional data exists only since 2013: 16.7% of the mothers of the six murdered children in 2013 had reported their case to the authorities, with that same 16.7% of the mothers having a valid protection order at the time of the killings. For more details see Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/portalEstadistico/docs/VMortales_menores_2013_cierr.pdf.

146. Please see ‘Información estadística de violencia de género. Informe Anual – Año 2012’. As of June 2014 the Annual Report for 2013 has not yet been made available at the Portal Estadístico, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad, with no data in 2013 on women with disabilities to evaluate at the time of writing this article.

147. See Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Spain, Forty-Fourth Session, 20 July–7 August 2009, CEDAW/C/ESP/CO/6, paras 31 and 32; and Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Spain, Sixth Session, 19–23 September 2011, CRPD/C/ESP/CO/1, paras 22 and 49, in reference to Articles 6 (women with disabilities) and 31 (statistics and data collection) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

148. See Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Spain, Fifty-Fifth Session, 13 September–1 October 2010, 3 November 2010, CRC/C/ESP/CO/3-4, paras 46, and 47.

149. See Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Spain, Sixth Session, 19–23 September 2011, CRPD/C/ESP/CO/1, paras 51 and 52 in reference to Art. 31 of the Convention (statistics and data collection).

150. See European Parliament A7-0075/2014, Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, 31 January 2014, Rapporteur: Antonyia Parvanova (Initiative – Rule 42 of the Rules of Procedure), Motion for a European Parliament Resolution with Recommendations to the Commission on Combating Violence against Women (2013/2004(INL)), 15.

151. See ibid., Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading, Summary. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/printsummary.pdf?id=1335345&l=en&t=D.

152. Article 137 of the 1978 Spanish Constitution provides on the country's territorial organisation: ‘The State is organised territorially into municipalities, provinces and Autonomous Communities that may be constituted. All these bodies shall enjoy self-government for the management of their respective interests.’ Available in English at http://www.tribunalconstitucional.es/es/constitucion/Paginas/ConstitucionIngles.aspx#i21.

153. Former regional surveys include Los costes económicos y sociales de la violencia de género en Andalucía. Junta de Andalucía, Instituto Andaluz de la Mujer, Deloitte & Touche, 2003.

154. Among the few national studies see Los costes sanitarios de la violencia de género en España. Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo. Observatorio de Salud de la Mujer, 2007. See also Aproximación Al Gasto Público En Medidas Contra La Violencia De Género En El Ámbito De Las Relaciones De Pareja O Ex-Pareja. Especial Atención a Las Medidas De Protección y Justicia, Autora: María Naredo Molero Investigadora en temas de Igualdad de Género, DOC. No. 10/09, Instituto de Estudios Fiscales. http://www.ief.es/documentos/investigacion/genero/doc_trabajo/docu_papeles_Doc_10_09.pdf.

155. See Costes de la violencia de género en las relaciones de pareja, Comunitat Valenciana, Autores: María Jesús Hernández José Sanmartín, Pilar Martínez y Alicia Molina, Centro Reina Sofía para el Estudio de la Violencia, Noviembre 2006. Serie Documentos 10. https://igualdade.xunta.es/sites/default/files/files/documentos/INFORME_COSTES_DE_LA_VIOLENCIA_DE_GENERO-VALENCIA%5B1%5D.pdf.

156. For a comprehensive view of Spain's status of ratification of international human rights conventions and treaties see http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/research/ratification-spain.html.

157. Available in English at http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Hist_Normas/Norm/const_espa_texto_ingles_0.pdf.

158. Article 9. 2 of the 1978 Constitution provides that ‘it is incumbent upon the public authorities to promote conditions which ensure that the freedom and equality of individuals and of the groups to which they belong may be real and effective, to remove the obstacles which prevent or hinder their full enjoyment, and to facilitate the participation of all citizens in political, economic, cultural and social life’. Available in English at http://www.tribunalconstitucional.es/es/constitucion/Paginas/ConstitucionIngles.aspx#i21.

159. Organic Law 1/2004 of 28 December, on Integral Protection Measures against Gender Violence (Ley Orgánica 1/2004, de 28 de diciembre, de Medidas de Protección Integral contra la Violencia de Género, BOE A-2004-21760) available at http://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2004-21760 .

160. See for further details on these provisions III Informe Internacional Violencia contra la mujer en las relaciones de pareja Estadísticas y Legislación, Centro Reina Sofía para el Estudio de la Violencia, 2010, 51 et. ff. http://www.luisvivesces.org/upload/88/18/informe.pdf.

161. A list of protocols is available from the author.

162. See report: Information on Gender-Related Killings of Women and Girls Provided by Civil Society Organizations and Academia, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Twenty-Third Session, Vienna, 12–16 May 2014, E/CN.15/2014/CRP.5, of 8 May 2014, para. 102. http://www.unodc.org/documents/commissions/CCPCJ/CCPCJ_Sessions/CCPCJ_23/E-CN15-2014-CRP5_E.pdf.

163. See Articles 43 on ‘territorial structure’ and 48 on ‘jurisdiction of the courts’, of Organic Law 1/2004.

164. See Article 44 on ‘jurisdiction’ of Organic law 1/2004, and 87ter of LOPJ (Ley Orgánica del Poder Judicial). Both Organic Laws are available at http://www.mjusticia.gob.es/cs/Satellite/es/1288774502225/TextoPublicaciones.html and https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1985-12666 respectively.

165. Article 468 of the Penal Code on ‘violation of sentence’ reads: ‘1. Those who violate their sentence, security measure, imprisonment, interim measure, removal or custody shall receive a prison sentence of six months to one year, if they were under a custodial sentence, and a fine of twelve to twenty-four months in all other cases. 2. In any event, a prison sentence of six months to one year will be imposed on whoever violates a sentence of those envisaged in article 48 of this Code or an interim or security measure of the same nature issued in criminal proceedings where the victim was one of the persons referred to in article 173.2.’

166. See the Preamble of Organic Law 1/2004.

167. Ibid.

168. The positive discrimination contained in the spirit of Organic Law 1/2004 was the issue of an unconstitutionality challenge of Article 153 of the Penal Code amended by the Organic Law. The Constitutional Court endorsed the constitutionality of Organic Law 1/2004 in its judgment of 2008, holding that the law was not discriminatory and that the protection of women through a different criminal treatment did not relate to the idea of the special vulnerability of women, but to the special wrong of the aggressor's behaviour due to his position of superiority and domination. See Sentencia del Tribunal Constitucional 59/2008, de 14 de Mayo. Judgment available at http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2008/06/04/pdfs/T00014-00035.pdf.

169. Article 173.2 of the Penal Code reads: (Ministry of Justice's unofficial translation) ‘Whoever habitually uses physical or mental violence against the person who is or has been his spouse or the person who is or has been bound to him by a similar emotional relation, even without cohabitation, or against descendants, ascendants or biological, adopted or fostered siblings, against that person or the spouse or cohabitating partner, or against minors or the incapacitated who live with him or who are subject to the parental rights, guardianship, care, fostership or safekeeping of the spouse or cohabitating partner, or against a person protected by any other relation by which that person is a member of the core family unit, as well as against persons who, due to their special vulnerability are subject to custody or safekeeping in public or private centres, shall be punished with a sentence of imprisonment of six months to three years, deprivation of the right to own and carry weapons from two to five years and, when appropriate, when the Judge or Court of Law sees it fit in the interest of the minor or incapacitated person, special barring from exercise of parental rights, guardianship, care, safekeeping or fostership for a term from one to five years, without prejudice to the penalties that may be relevant for the felonies or misdemeanours in which the acts of physical or mental violence have been materialised. The penalties shall be imposed in the upper half when any one or number of the acts of violence are committed in the presence of minors, or using weapons, or take place in the common dwelling or in the dwelling of the victim, or are perpetrated in breach of any of the penalties foreseen in Article 48 of this Code, or of an precautionary or security measure or prohibition of the same kind.’ Available in English at http://www.mjusticia.gob.es/cs/Satellite/es/1288774502225/TextoPublicaciones.html.

170. See Guía De Criterios de Actuación Judicial Frente a la Violencia de Género, 2013, 21 et. ff. Grupo de Expertos/as en Violencia Doméstica y de Género del CGPJ, Observatorio contra la Violencia Doméstica y de Género. Consejo General del Poder Judicial. http://www.observatorioviolencia.org/upload_images/File/DOC1373631687_Guiacriterios%20actuacionviolenciageneroactual2013.pdf.

171. STS 288/2012 de 19 Abril, in reference to mental damage or injury (Article 153 of the Penal Code).

172. The Constitutional Court has clearly set the doctrine of the constitutionality of Organic Law 1/2004 and has repeatedly rejected unconstitutionality challenges on Article 148.4 of the Criminal Code on ‘protection against injury’ (4. ‘if the victim was or had been the wife of the aggressor or shared an analogous affective relationship, with or without cohabitation’), rejecting the discrimination of men against women by aggravating considerably penalties if the same wrongdoing is committed by a man (penalties of two to five years imprisonment) instead of by a woman (penalties of six months up to three years). The principle of equality is applicable and there is no discrimination by reason of sex (gender) since the different criminal treatment has been decided by the legislature which determines that the appropriate punishment and sanction should be more severe for certain types of aggression due to the special gravity of the offences, and the societal moral and social rejection of such wrongdoing. See STC 41/2010, of 22 July, and STC 45/2010, of 28 July.

173. The Supreme Court's doctrine has varied over time in regard to what a relationship implies, going from a restrictive requirement of ‘exclusivity’ in the relationship, through the requirement of ‘continuity and stability in the relationship’ (STS 1348/2011) to accepting an open understanding of sentimental relationships based on affection and sexuality (STS 1376/2011, of 23 December, and STS 59/2013). See in reference to the types of criminal offences contained in Articles 153, 171, 172 and 173 of the Penal Code: STS 510/09 of 12 May, STS 916/2009 of 22 September, STS 1348/2011 of 14 December and STS 1376/2011 of 23 December.

174. See STS 971/2013, 11 de diciembre ROJ STS 5993/2013.

175. See for instance Audiencia Provincial (appellate level) judgments: SAP Sección 27 506/2008 AP Madrid, SAP Cáceres Sección 2ª, 97/08, SAP Alicante 530/10 de 30 de junio.

176. See for instance SAP Sección 27 506/2008 AP Madrid.

177. See STS 1068/09 de 4 de Noviembre in regard to minor threats covered under Article 171.4 of the Penal Code. The norm does not provide for a man to be a passive subject; the type of criminal offence addressed requires a woman as passive subject of the offence. An extensive interpretation of the norm would go against the perpetrator's interest, especially given the constitutional challenges to Article 171.4 of the Penal Code arguing gender discrimination having been rejected.

178. The CSW urges governments to ensure women's and girls’ unimpeded access to justice, and also to ensure that they have access to just and effective remedies for the harm that they have suffered due to gender-based domestic violence, including through the adoption of national legislation where necessary. See Agreed Conclusions, CSW, para. 34. A (f).

179. See T.M. and C.M. v. The Republic of Moldova, para. 60.

180. See Human Rights Council Resolution 17/19 on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, A/HRC/RES/17/19, of 14 July 2011. http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G11/148/76/PDF/G1114876.pdf?OpenElement.

181. See United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Report on Discriminatory Laws and Practices and Acts of Violence against Individuals Based on their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, A/HRC/19/41, of 17 November 2011, paras 16 and 68.

182. See Young v. Australia, CCPR/C/78/D/941/2000, para. 10.4.

183. See General Comment 28 CEDAW, CEDAW/C/GC/28, 16 December 2010, General Recommendation No. 28 on the core obligations of States parties under article 2 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, paras 14, 15, 18, 19 and 34. http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G10/472/60/PDF/G1047260.pdf?OpenElement.

184. See Auto de la Sección 4ª AP de Tarragona de 12 de febrero de 2008. See also Circular 6/2011 de la Fiscalía General del Estado that develops the subject, 1689 et. ff. Circular available at https://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/QueHacer/protocoloActuacion/ministFiscal/DOC/circular_6_2011.pdf.

185. See Auto Audiencia Provincial de Málaga 3/5/10.

186. See Guía de Criterios de Actuación Judicial Frente a la Violencia De Género, 2013, 34 et. ff.

187. See STS de 4 de Mayo del 2012.

188. See Informe Del Grupo de Expertos y Expertas en Violencia Doméstica y de Género del Consejo General del Poder Judicial Acerca de los Problemas Técnicos Detectados en la Aplicación de la ley Orgánica 1/2004, de Medidas de Protección Integral Contra la Violencia de Género y en la de la Normativa Procesal, Sustantiva u Orgánica Relacionada, y Sugerencias de Reforma Legislativa que los Abordan, Enero 2011, CGPJ. http://www.celem.org/pdfs/programas/INFORME%20PROBLEMAS%20TECNICOS%20LO%201-2004-PROPUESTAS%20LEGISLATIVAS-2011-01.pdf.

189. Ley de Enjuiciamiento Criminal. https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1882-6036.

190. See Informe Del Grupo de Expertos y Expertas en Violencia Doméstica y de Género del Consejo General del Poder Judicial Acerca de los Problemas Técnicos Detectados en la Aplicación de la ley Orgánica 1/2004, de Medidas de Protección Integral Contra la Violencia de Género y en la de la Normativa Procesal, Sustantiva u Orgánica Relacionada, y Sugerencias de Reforma Legislativa que los Abordan, 44.

191. See report Qué Justicia Especializada A siete años de la Ley Integral contra la Violencia de Género: Obstáculos al acceso y obtención de justicia y protección, Sección española de Amnistía Internacional, 2012. https://doc.es.amnesty.org/cgi-bin/ai/BRSCGI?CMD=VERDOC&BASE=SIAI&SORT=-FPUB&DOCR=1&RNG=10&FMT=SIAIWEB3.fmt&SEPARADOR=&&INAI=EUR4110412.

192. Spanish Criminal Code available in English at http://www.mjusticia.gob.es/cs/Satellite/es/1288774502225/TextoPublicaciones.html.

193. Ibid.

194. See Guía de los derechos de las mujeres víctimas de violencia de género. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/Recursos/GuiaDerechos/home.htm.

195. See Amnesty International, Spain: Briefing to the Human Rights Committee, 2008, AI Index: EUR 41/012/2008, ‘Right to Redress’. http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/ESP/INT_CCPR_NGO_ESP_93_8718_E.pdf.

196. Ley de Ayudas a Víctimas de delitos violentos y contra la libertad sexual, Ley 35/1995, de 11 de diciembre. BOE no 296, de 12 de diciembre de 1995).

197. See report En la Violencia de Género No Hay Una Sola Víctima, Atención a los hijos e hijas de mujeres víctimas de violencia de género, Save the Children, Febrero de 2011, 39 et. ff. http://www.savethechildren.es/docs/Ficheros/425/Informe-Violencia_de_genero.pdf.

198. Article 32 (4) of Organic Law 1/2004 states that ‘4. En las actuaciones previstas en este artículo se considerará de forma especial la situación de las mujeres que, por sus circunstancias personales y sociales puedan tener mayor riesgo de sufrir la violencia de género o mayores dificultades para acceder a los servicios previstos en esta Ley, tales como las pertenecientes a minorías, las inmigrantes, las que se encuentran en situación de exclusión social o las mujeres con discapacidad.’

199. This special protection of LGBT is supported by and in line with Human Rights Council Resolution 17/19 on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, as well as with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Report on Discriminatory Laws and Practices and Acts of Violence against Individuals Based on their Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, in which it is ‘confirmed that States have an obligation to protect everyone from discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. The fact that someone is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender does not limit their entitlement to enjoy the full range of human rights’ (para. 16). Nevertheless in Joslin v. New Zealand (CCPR/C/75/D/902/1999), the Human Rights Committee held that States are not required, under international law, to allow same-sex couples to marry, it confirmed in Young v. Australia (CCPR/C/78/D/941/2000, para. 10.4) the obligation to protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, an obligation which extends to ensuring that unmarried same-sex couples are treated in the same way and entitled to the same benefits as unmarried opposite-sex couples (para. 68). http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G11/170/75/PDF/G1117075.pdf?OpenElement.

200. See Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, paras 19, 43 and 87. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf.

201. See T.M. and C.M. v. The Republic of Moldova, para. 60.

202. See Ley Orgánica 10/2011, de 27 de julio, de modificación de los artículos 31 bis y 59 bis de la Ley Orgánica 4/2000, de 11 de enero, sobre derechos y libertades de los extranjeros en España y su integración social. http://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2011-12962.

203. Ibid. See Law's Preamble.

204. Ibid. See Article 1 of the Law.

205. Vote results: Yes: 138; No: 179; Abstentions: 1.

206. Only the offences of acoso sexual (sexual harassment) and acoso laboral (harassment within a laboral context) are penalised under Spanish domestic legislation.

207. The Consejo General del Poder Judicial (Superior Council of the Judiciary) has categorically recommended the exclusion of mediation within the context of gender violence as being contrary to and in violation of Organic Law 1/2004, UN Recommendation 3.9.1 within the 2010 Handbook for National Action Plans on Violence against Women, and Article 48 of the Istanbul Convention. See Informe al Anteproyecto de ley Orgánica por la que se Modifica la ley Orgánica 10/1995, de 23 de Noviembre, del Código Penal of 8 January 2013, CGPJ, 95. http://www.poderjudicial.es/cgpj/es/Poder_Judicial/Consejo_General_del_Poder_Judicial/Actividad_del_CGPJ/Informes/Informe_al_Anteproyecto_de_Ley_Organica_por_la_que_se_modifica_la_Ley_Organica_10_1995__de_23_de_noviembre__del_Codigo_Penal.

208. Proyecto de ley de Reconocimiento Mutuo de Resoluciones Penales en la Unión Europea of 21 March 2014. http://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L10/CONG/BOCG/A/BOCG-10-A-86-1.PDF.

209. For more details on the different aspects of the draft law see Informe al Anteproyecto de Ley de reconocimiento mutuo de resoluciones judiciales penales en la Unión Europea y al Anteproyecto de Ley Orgánica complementaria de la anterior, por la que se modifica la Ley Orgánica 6/1985, de 1 de julio, del Poder Judicial, Consejo General del Poder Judicial (España), Comisión de Estudios e Informes, 11 de abril de 2013. http://www.poderjudicial.es/cgpj/es/Poder_Judicial/Consejo_General_del_Poder_Judicial/Actividad_del_CGPJ/Informes/Informe_al_Anteproyecto_de_Ley_de_reconocimiento_mutuo_de_resoluciones_judiciales_penales_en_la_Union_Europea_y_al_Anteproyecto_de_Ley_Organica_complementaria_de_la_anterior__por_la_que_se_modifica_la_Ley_Organica_6_1985__de_1_de_julio__del_Poder_Judicial.

210. As of 20 June 2014. Please see for more details http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Iniciativas/ProydeLey?_piref73_1335538_73_1335535_1335535.next_page=/wc/servidorCGI&CMD=VERLST&BASE=IW10&PIECE=IWA0&FMT=INITXD1S.fmt&FORM1=INITXLBA.fmt&DOCS=15-15&QUERY=121.cini.+no+%40fcie+no+concluido.fase.

211. http://www.mjusticia.gob.es/cs/Satellite/es/1215198252237/ALegislativa_P/1288774452773/Detalle.html.

212. See Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA, available in English at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:315:0057:0073:EN:PDF and in Spanish at http://www.boe.es/doue/2012/315/L00057-00073.pdf.

213. See for more details on the draft law, November 2013 Reports on the draft law by the Consejo General del Poder Judicial (CGPJ) and Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE), available respectively at http://www.poderjudicial.es/stfls/CGPJ/COMISI%C3%93N%20DE%20ESTUDIOS%20E%20INFORMES/INFORMES%20DE%20LEY/FICHERO/20140205%20Inf.%20Antepr.%20LO%20Victimas%20del%20delito.pdf and http://www.fiscal.es/Documentos/Documentos-del-Consejo-Fiscal.html?pagename=PFiscal%2FPage%2FFGE_home&cid=1242052647004&_charset_=UTF-8&buscador=2&palabra=informe+FGE+anteproyecto+de+Estatuto+de+la+V%C3%ADctima&btnBuscar=Buscar.

214. As of June 2014.

215. See Proyecto de Ley de asistencia jurídica gratuita. Articles 20 (1) and (2) of Organic Law 1/2004 de 28 de diciembre, de Medidas de Protección Integral contra la Violencia de Género are amended as follows: ‘1. Las víctimas de violencia de género tienen derecho a recibir asesoramiento jurídico gratuito en el momento inmediatamente previo a la interposición de la denuncia, y a la defensa y representación gratuitas por Abogado y Procurador en todos los procesos y procedimientos administrativos que tengan causa directa o indirecta en la violencia padecida. En estos supuestos una misma dirección letrada deberá asumir la defensa de la víctima, siempre que con ello se garantice debidamente su derecho de defensa. Este derecho asistirá también a los causahabientes en caso de fallecimiento de la víctima, siempre que no fuera partícipe en los hechos. En todo caso, se garantizará la defensa jurídica, gratuita y especializada de forma inmediata a todas las víctimas de violencia de género que lo soliciten. 2. En todo caso, cuando se trate de garantizar la defensa y asistencia jurídica a las víctimas de violencia de género, se procederá de conformidad con lo dispuesto en la Ley de Asistencia Jurídica Gratuita.’ Draft law available at http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Iniciativas?_piref73_2148295_73_1335437_1335437.next_page=/wc/servidorCGI&CMD=VERLST&BASE=IW10&PIECE=IWA0&FMT=INITXD1S.fmt&FORM1=INITXLBA.fmt&DOCS=16-16&QUERY=121.cini.+no+%40fcie+no+concluido.fase.

216. See Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA, available in English at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2012:315:0057:0073:EN:PDF and in Spanish at http://www.boe.es/doue/2012/315/L00057-00073.pdf.

217. See Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Spain, Fifty-Fifth Session, 13 September–1 October 2010, 3 November 2010, CRC/C/ESP/CO/3-4, para. 38.

218. Fundación ANAR, Ayuda a Niños y Adolescentes en Riesgo. http://www.anar.org/.

219. See Directorate General for Internal Policies, Policy Department C: Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs, Legal Affairs, ‘National Experience in Applying Civil Protection Measures: The Case of Spain’, Note, 2012. Author Leticia Mata Mayrand, Fundación ANAR. PE 462.434. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/note/join/2012/462434/IPOL-JURI_NT(2012)462434_EN.pdf.

220. See Proposición de Ley Orgánica para reforzar la protección a los hijos e hijas menores frente a los delitos de violencia de género. http://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L10/CONG/BOCG/B/BOCG-10-B-125-1.PDF and http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso/Publicaciones/IndPub?_piref73_1340068_73_1340059_1340059.next_page=/wc/servidorCGI&CMD=VERLST&BASE=IP10&FMT=INPTXLTS.fmt&DOCS=1-200&DOCORDER=FIFO&OPDEF=Y&DES1=Proposiciones+de+Ley&DES2=B&DES3=b&NUM1=125&QUERY=(122%2F000108%2F0000.NDOC.+O+(congreso.SECC.+Y+B.SERI.+Y+125.NDIA.)).

221. Vote results: Yes: 143 yes; No: 171; Abstentions: 2. The draft law was introduced by the Partido Socialista, not having the majority in Parliament. See debate at http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/PopUpCGI?CMD=VERLST&BASE=pu10&FMT=PUWTXDTS.fmt&DOCS=1-1&QUERY=%28DSCD-10-PL-143.CODI.%29#(Página70).

222. See for instance Ley 7/2012, de 23 de noviembre, integral contra la violencia sobre la mujer en el ámbito de la Comunitat Valenciana. http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2012/12/11/pdfs/BOE-A-2012-14978.pdf.

223. Data refer to the 106 existing specialised tribunals on violence against women (Juzgados exclusivos de Violencia sobre la Mujer) and those other 355 tribunals that shared cases of violence against women with other subjects. See Datos de Denuncias, Procedimientos Penales y Civiles Registrados, Órdenes de Protección Solicitadas en los Juzgados de Violencia Sobre la Mujer (Jvm)1 y Sentencias Dictadas por los Órganos Jurisdiccionales en Esta Materia en el Año 2013, Consejo General Del Poder Judicial. http://www.poderjudicial.es/cgpj/es/Temas/Violencia%2Ddomestica%2Dy%2Dde%2Dgenero/Actividad%2Ddel%2DObservatorio/Datos%2Destadisticos/La%2Dviolencia%2Dsobre%2Dla%2Dmujer%2Den%2Dla%2Destadistica%2Djudicial%2D%2DDatos%2Danuales%2Dde%2D2013 and http://www.abogacia.es/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Presentacion-Observatorio-Violencia-de-Genero.pdf.

224. These include: specialised tribunals (Juzgados de Violencia contra la Mujer, JVM), duty tribunals (juzgados de guardia), and first instance criminal courts (juzgados de instrucción).

225. See Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Yakin Ertürk, Indicators on Violence against Women and State Response, UN Doc: A/HRC/7/6, 29 January 2008, para. 91.

226. Ibid., para. 85.

227. See for compared annual results since 2007 the judicial report Balance de siete años de la creación de los Juzgados de Violencia sobre la Mujer (2005–2012), Observatorio contra la Violencia Doméstica y de Género, Consejo General del Poder Judicial, España. http://www.poderjudicial.es/cgpj/es/Temas/Violencia_domestica_y_de_genero/Actividad_del_Observatorio/Datos_estadisticos/Balance_de_siete_anos_de_la_creacion_de_los_Juzgados_de_Violencia_sobre_la_Mujer__2005_2012_.

228. In cases of public order as within gender-based domestic violence cases that are liable to prosecution by the State ex officio the victim's withdrawal does not affect the continuation of the case. The Spanish Supreme Court ruled in this sense in STS de 15/2/2002. http://www.poderjudicial.es/cgpj/es/Poder_Judicial/Tribunal_Supremo/Jurisprudencia/Jurisprudencia_del_TS.

229. See for compared annual results since 2007 the judicial report Balance de siete años de la creación de los Juzgados de Violencia sobre la Mujer (2005–2012), 4.

230. Cf. Article 58 (Competencias en el orden penal) of Organic Law 1/2004 on Integral Protection Measures against Gender Violence (Ley Orgánica 1/2004, de 28 de diciembre, de Medidas de Protección Integral contra la Violencia de Género, BOE A-2004-21760). http://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2004-21760.

231. For instance, in the Comunidad Valenciana in 2004, 69.14% of victims of gender-based domestic violence affirmed that their children had been direct victims of that same intimate partner gender-based domestic violence. See Economic burden of gender-based domestic violence in Spain. Also, a majority of women suffering or who have suffered gender-based domestic violence in Spain declare that in the past year at least one of their children has become aware of such violence taking place, as revealed in the 2014 survey on violence against women in Europe in which 73% of mother victims of physical and/or sexual violence by a partner in the past year indicated that at least one of their children had become aware of such violence taking place.

232. Over the same period protection order petitions in front of criminal duty tribunals (juzgados de guardia) have diminished by 41.8%, which could imply a lack of trust in the judicial system. Nevertheless, the judge can ex oficio issue a protection order without the need of a formal request from the victim. The granting of protection orders within duty tribunals also decreases gradually every year.

233. See General Assembly Resolution 60/147.

234. See Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Yakin Ertürk, Indicators on Violence against Women and State Response, para. 82.

235. See for compared annual results since 2007 the judicial report Balance de siete años de la creación de los Juzgados de Violencia sobre la Mujer (2005–2012), 4. See also Datos de Denuncias, Procedimientos Penales y Civiles Registrados, Órdenes de Protección Solicitadas en los Juzgados de Violencia Sobre la Mujer (Jvm)1 y Sentencias Dictadas por los Órganos Jurisdiccionales en Esta Materia en el Año 2013.

236. See Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Yakin Ertürk, Indicators on Violence against Women and State Response, para. 93.

237. See 15 Years of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (1994–2009) – A Critical Review, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Its Causes and Consequences, 30. http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Women/15YearReviewofVAWMandate.pdf.

238. See Amnesty International, Spain: Briefing to the Human Rights Committee, 2008, AI Index: EUR 41/012/2008, ‘Due Diligence in Investigation and Prosecution’. http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/ESP/INT_CCPR_NGO_ESP_93_8718_E.pdf.

239. See Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Yakin Ertürk, Indicators on Violence against Women and State Response, para. 92.

240. See report Investigación Sobre Decisiones Judiciales en Materia de Guarda y Custodia y Régimen de Visitas, Save the Children, 2011, Publicacion Del Ministerio De Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad. http://www.msssi.gob.es/ssi/violenciaGenero/publicaciones/estudiosinvestigaciones/PDFS/Decision_Judicial_Guarda_Custodia.pdf.

241. Article 44 of Organic Law 1/2004 introduces new article 87.ter of Organic Law on the Judicial Power (LOPJ), which attributes to specialised tribunals (Juzgados de Violencia sobre la Mujer) civil competence over matters related to child custody whenever a case of gender-based domestic violence is involved.

242. Cf. Art. 92.5 of the Civil Code (Código Civil), which provides for the prohibition in cases of domestic violence.

243. Organic Law 1/2004 available in Spanish at http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2004/12/29/pdfs/A42166-42197.pdf , and in English at http://www.isotita.gr/var/uploads/NOMOTHESIA/VIOLENCE/SPANISH%20LAW%20Organic%20Act%201_28-12-04%20on%20Violence.pdf.

244. See National Strategy for the Eradication of Violence against Women (2013–2016), 9 et. ff. Available in English at http://www.msssi.gob.es/en/ssi/violenciaGenero/EstrategiaNacional/pdf/Estrategia_Nacional_Ingles.pdf.

245. See report En la Violencia de Género No Hay Una Sola Víctima, Atención a los hijos e hijas de mujeres víctimas de violencia de género, 88.

246. See 2013/2004(INL) – 31 January 2014 Committee Report Tabled for Plenary, Single Reading. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/summary.do?id=1335345&t=d&l=en. See also European Parliament A7-0075/2014, Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, 31 January 2014, Rapporteur: Antonyia Parvanova (Initiative – Rule 42 of the Rules of Procedure), Motion for a European Parliament Resolution with Recommendations to the Commission on Combating Violence Against Women (2013/2004(INL)), ‘Explanatory Statement’, 15–18. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A7-2014-0075+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN.

247. See II Plan Estratégico Nacional de Infancia y Adolescencia 2013–2016 (II Penia), Penia 2013–2016. See in special measures 1.1.8 Conocimiento y explotación de datos sobre violencia de género, 1.3.8. Sensibilización social sobre los niños expuestos a violencia de género, 2.8.- Detección precoz del maltrato infantil, 4.1.- Elaborar el Anteproyecto de Ley de Actualización de la legislación sobre protección a la infancia, 4.2.- Promover la Investigación para la prevención del riesgo y desprotección de la infancia y adolescencia en España, 4.4.- Continuar emprendiendo las acciones necesarias de prevención, detección, atención y tratamiento de la infancia maltratada, 4.19.- Atención en casos de maltrato infantil, 6.17.- Violencia de género. http://www.observatoriodelainfancia.msssi.gob.es/productos/pdf/II_PLAN_ESTRATEGICO_INFANCIA.pdf.

248. Ibid., p. 7.

249. See General Assembly Resolution 60/147.

250. See Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Yakin Ertürk, Indicators on Violence against Women and State Response, para. 82.

251. ‘Nearly one third of ever-partnered women (30.0%) have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner, and 7.2% of adult women have experienced sexual violence by a non-partner’, with some women experiencing both. WHO, ‘Global and Regional Estimates of Violence against Women’, 31, Section 4: ‘Summary and Conclusions’.

252. See UN Human Rights Council, Rashida Manjoo, 2012. Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, paras 82 and 85.

253. See Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences, Yakin Ertürk, Indicators on Violence against Women and State Response, para. 71.

254. Vulnerable persons include ‘pregnant women and women with young children, persons with disabilities, including those with mental or cognitive impairments, persons living in rural or remote areas, substance abusers, prostitutes, persons of national or ethnic minority background, migrants – including undocumented migrants and refugees, gay men, lesbian women, bi-sexual and transgender persons as well as HIV-positive persons, homeless persons, children and the elderly’. See Explanatory Report to the Istanbul Convention, paras 19, 43 and 87. http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/convention-violence/convention/Explanatory_Report_EN_210.pdf.

255. See 15 Years of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women (1994–2009) – A Critical Review, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Its Causes and Consequences, 54 and 30. http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/Women/15YearReviewofVAWMandate.pdf.