Legislation on violence against women: overview of key components

This study aimed to determine if legislation on violence against women (VAW) worldwide contains key components recommended by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations (UN) to help strengthen VAW prevention and provide better integrated victim protection, support, and care. A systematic search for VAW legislation using international legal databases and other electronic sources plus data from previous research identified 124 countries/territories with some type of VAW legislation. Full legal texts were found for legislation from 104 countries/territories. Those available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish were downloaded and compiled and the selection criteria applied (use of any of the common terms related to VAW, including intimate partner violence (IPV), and reference to at least two of six sectors (education, health, judicial system, mass media, police, and social services) with regard to VAW interventions (protection, support, and care). A final sample from 80 countries/territories was selected and analyzed for the presence of key components recommended by PAHO and the UN (reference to the term "violence against women" in the title; definitions of different types of VAW; identification of women as beneficiaries; and promotion of (reference to) the participation of multiple sectors in VAW interventions). Few countries/territories specifically identified women as the beneficiaries of their VAW legislation, including those that labeled their legislation "domestic violence" law ( n = 51), of which only two explicitly mentioned women as complainants/survivors. Only 28 countries/territories defined the main forms of VAW (economic, physical, psychological, and sexual) in their VAW legislation. Most highlighted the role of the judicial system, followed by that of social services and the police. Only 28 mentioned the health sector. Despite considerable efforts worldwide to strengthen VAW legislation, most VAW laws do not incorporate the key recommended components. Significant limitations were found in the legislative content, its application, and the extent to which it provided women with integrated protection, support, and care. In developing new VAW legislation, policymakers should consider the vital role of health services.

Cómo trabajar de forma constructiva con Estados frágiles

Los donantes asignan cada vez más recursos a Estados frágiles para que reformen o reconstruyan sus infraestructuras –es decir, sus sistemas de justicia, policía y ejército, y la gestión de los ministerios– en su esfuerzo por respaldar la estabilidad. Esto ha sido importante para todos los sectores de la sociedad, entre ellos, las personas desplazadas.

Economic crisis, immigrant women and changing availability of intimate partner violence services: a qualitative study of professionals' perceptions in Spain

Introduction: Since 2008, Spain has been in the throes of an economic crisis. This recession particularly affects the living conditions of vulnerable populations, and has also led to a reversal in social policies and a reduction in resources. In this context, the aim of this study was to explore intimate partner violence (IPV) service providers’ perceptions of the impact of the current economic crisis on these resources in Spain and on their capacity to respond to immigrant women’s needs experiencing IPV. Methods: A qualitative study was performed based on 43 semi-structured in-depth interviews to social workers, psychologists, intercultural mediators, judges, lawyers, police officers and health professionals from different services dealing with IPV (both, public and NGO’s) and cities in Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Alicante) in 2011. Transcripts were imported into qualitative analysis software (Atlas.ti), and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: We identified four categories related to the perceived impact of the current economic crisis: a) “Immigrant women have it harder now”, b) “IPV and immigration resources are the first in line for cuts”, c) “ Fewer staff means a less effective service” and d) “Equality and IPV policies are no longer a government priority”. A cross-cutting theme emerged from these categories: immigrant women are triply affected; by IPV, by the crisis, and by structural violence. Conclusion: The professionals interviewed felt that present resources in Spain are insufficient to meet the needs of immigrant women, and that the situation might worsen in the future.

El perfil geográfico criminal: aproximación teórica y aplicación práctica

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo generar conocimiento sobre el perfil geográfico como técnica de investigación criminal que analiza la ubicación de los delitos para intentar establecer la zona de anclaje de un criminal, siendo especialmente importante la vinculación de casos a un mismo delincuente y evaluar el estado actual de la técnica dentro de la investigación criminal. La metodología empleada se basó en el análisis de revisión bibliográfica pertinente. La información recabada mediante la técnica hizo visible grandes aportaciones, se observó una proliferación de estudios sobre el comportamiento geográfico criminal y se concluyó que el reciente estudio de la materia despierta un gran interés debido, principalmente, a la creación de los Sistemas de Información Geográfica, fundamentales en el desarrollo de la técnica y en la realización de mapas criminógenos. Además concluiremos con una valoración sobre la importancia de la metodología en la realización de un buen perfil geográfico y analizaremos el estado actual en el que se encuentra la técnica dentro de la investigación criminal.