Epogender project on the protection of domestic violence ends

Establishing equal protection for victims of domestic violence in all of the European Union is the essence behind the Epogender project. This has resulted in the publishing of two books which were presented at the Library of Social Sciences this past 28 May.

28/05/2015

"The European Protection Order for gender violence victims is a big step forward, and it can have a very large multiplier effect", explains Professor Teresa Freixes.

The objective of Epogender project is to obtain equal protection for victims of gender violence in all of the European Union. This project works towards an efficient implementation of the European Protection Order Directive 2011/99/EU (2012-2014). It was therefore necessary to analyse the different measures of protection in each of the EU member states offered to victims of gender violence, independent of their country of origin, with the aim of guaranteeing that these victims receive the same treatment and protection in terms of liberty of circulation and/or residence in virtue of what the European order against gender violence establishes.

"We are taking a big step forward if we can get this to be applied in all of Europe. If we take into account that the European Union does not have a criminal code, applying this order represents setting a very important minimum basis for all member states", affirms UAB Constitutional Law Professor Teresa Freixes, scientific director of the EpoGender project.

The three measures foreseen by the Directive are the prohibition of entering specific locality, area or zone in which the protected person lives or works; the prohibition of any type of contact with the protected person, including via telephone, e-mail or post, fax, or any other means; and the obligation of maintaining the minimum distance with the protected person indicated in the measure.

The Epogender project, which lasted two years, is coordinated by the URV and the UAB, and includes the participation of the University of Szcezcin, Poland, and the Association of Judges of Bulgaria, as well as several EU states and specialists; particularly judges, lawyers, prosecutors, police officers and social service workers. The European Law Institute has facilitated access to the legislation of different EU member states, as well as to the experts collaborating in the project.

A CAREFUL ANALYSIS WITHIN ALL EU MEMBER STATES
Bettina Steible, lecturer in Law at the UAB, explained the methodology used to conduct the study on differences among EU member states in this matter and which has been published in one of the two books. Steible explained that one part was conducted through a survey, which 23 out of 26 member states answered. The lecturer also mentioned difficulties encountered in carrying out this phase, among the most important ones being: different languages, differences in legal systems when dealing with gender violence, and legal dispersion given that most states do not have specific legislation.

URV lecturers Neus Oliveras and Sandra Ramos explained several details about the European order and the analysis and research process conducted, and also proposed new improvement measures which could be applied to the protection of victims of gender violence. Ramos made special mention to her experience in Bulgaria - one of the partners of the European project is the Association of Judges of Bulgaria - where they met up with several NGOs working with victims of gender violence. The contact with these organisations made it clearer to see the different degrees of protection existing in the different member states. The NGOs agreed with the need for a European order, but assured project members that women victims of abuse in Bulgaria had no protection within their own home or their own country. Finally, UB philosopher Gonçal Mayos spoke on a more generic subject, on the "global phenomena of gender violence in itself" and of the pandemic it represents, regardless of the level of development of a country.

The presentation of the two books took place on 28 May at the Library of Social Sciences. The books are entitled Protection of the gender-based violence victims in the European Union and The European protection order. Its application to the victims of gender violence, both the result of this European project named Epogender "Gender Violence: Protocols for the protection of victims and effectiveness of protection orders. Towards an efficient implementation of Directive 2011/99/EU (2012-2014)", funded by the European Commission under the framework of the Daphne III Programme.

The presentation included the participation of Ferran Sancho, Rector of the UAB; Gonçal Mayos, lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Barcelona and co-director of the international research group “Cultura, Història i Estat” (GIRCHE); Neus Oliveras, lecturer in Constitutional Law at the Rovira i Virgili University; Bettina Steible, lecturer of Constitutional Law at the UAB; Sandra Ramos, EPOGENDER Project; and Maria Teresa Freixes Sanjuán, lecturer in Constitutional Law at the UAB and Jean Monnet ad personam professor.

The Library of Social Sciences has prepared a website on the books and related issues which can be consulted.

The books can be consulted here.