WAVE – against violence, and for women’s dignity
By Denise Nanni and Milena Rampoldi,
ProMosaik. In the following our interview with Kelly Blank of the WAVE network
struggling against violence against women. WAVE stands for women dignity. We
talked to Kelly about the history of her network, about CEDAW, and about the
meaning of violence against women, going far beyond physical violence. And in
campaigns for women this must be considered. Would like to thank Kelly so much
for her detailed answers and important suggestions.
ProMosaik. In the following our interview with Kelly Blank of the WAVE network
struggling against violence against women. WAVE stands for women dignity. We
talked to Kelly about the history of her network, about CEDAW, and about the
meaning of violence against women, going far beyond physical violence. And in
campaigns for women this must be considered. Would like to thank Kelly so much
for her detailed answers and important suggestions.
In which context was the WAVE Network
founded?
founded?
WAVE has a
long and proud history with over 20 years of experience. The original idea of
founding the WAVE network can be traced back to a number of international
events. The widening of trans-national cooperation began with the World
Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in 1993. This conference established
that acts of violence committed against women constituted severe human rights
violations. These violations related, for instance, to the right to live a life
free of violence and the right to freedom from fear and coercion. The conference’s final document, the
Vienna Declaration defines violence against women as a human rights violation
and calls on states to take steps to prevent it.
long and proud history with over 20 years of experience. The original idea of
founding the WAVE network can be traced back to a number of international
events. The widening of trans-national cooperation began with the World
Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in 1993. This conference established
that acts of violence committed against women constituted severe human rights
violations. These violations related, for instance, to the right to live a life
free of violence and the right to freedom from fear and coercion. The conference’s final document, the
Vienna Declaration defines violence against women as a human rights violation
and calls on states to take steps to prevent it.
In October 1994
the European/North American Preparatory Conference (ECE Conference) for the 4th
UN Conference on Women took place in Vienna. European NGOs working in the field
of violence against women took an active part in the conference, setting up a
working group on “Violence and Human Rights Violations against Women”. It was
during the ECE Conference that a group of women working in women’s shelters and
institutions combating violence put forward the idea of establishing a European
network on violence against women and children as means of strengthening the
feminist movement across Europe to allow women’s organizations to collaborate
and cooperate, to gain more influence and to more effectively fight for women’s
rights and to promote the prevention and combating of violence against women
and children on a European level.
the European/North American Preparatory Conference (ECE Conference) for the 4th
UN Conference on Women took place in Vienna. European NGOs working in the field
of violence against women took an active part in the conference, setting up a
working group on “Violence and Human Rights Violations against Women”. It was
during the ECE Conference that a group of women working in women’s shelters and
institutions combating violence put forward the idea of establishing a European
network on violence against women and children as means of strengthening the
feminist movement across Europe to allow women’s organizations to collaborate
and cooperate, to gain more influence and to more effectively fight for women’s
rights and to promote the prevention and combating of violence against women
and children on a European level.
In 1995,
during the 4th United Nations World Conference on Women, progress
was made in the formation of the European network. Its initiators ran a working
group under the auspices of the NGO Forum, thus giving a wide public access to
information on this undertaking. In the course of the World Conference on
Women, the WAVE founding group held its constituent session. The group’s
members included: Niamh Wilson of Irish Women’s Aid, Ebon Kram of the Swedish
women’s shelters network ROKS, Urszula Nowakowska of the Centrum Praw Kobiet
(Women’s Rights Centre) in Warsaw, Marianne Cense of TransAct in the
Netherlands, Lepa Mladjenovic of the SOS Hotline in Belgrade, and Rosa Logar of
the Verein der autonomen österreichischen Frauenhäuser (Austrian Women’s
Shelter Network).
during the 4th United Nations World Conference on Women, progress
was made in the formation of the European network. Its initiators ran a working
group under the auspices of the NGO Forum, thus giving a wide public access to
information on this undertaking. In the course of the World Conference on
Women, the WAVE founding group held its constituent session. The group’s
members included: Niamh Wilson of Irish Women’s Aid, Ebon Kram of the Swedish
women’s shelters network ROKS, Urszula Nowakowska of the Centrum Praw Kobiet
(Women’s Rights Centre) in Warsaw, Marianne Cense of TransAct in the
Netherlands, Lepa Mladjenovic of the SOS Hotline in Belgrade, and Rosa Logar of
the Verein der autonomen österreichischen Frauenhäuser (Austrian Women’s
Shelter Network).
The
establishment of a women’s network at this time was critical for women’s
organizations, who were previously alone and operating without close
cooperation. Having WAVE as a network to connect women’s organizations around
the continent was a huge milestone in women’s progression for Europe.
Representing unity and strength, the WAVE Network throughout the past twenty
years has successfully managed to not only grow in membership (now 120 Members
throughout 46 countries), but has also developed an excellent reputation for
itself globally, being the only European network to work solely on violence
against prevention. By advocating for specialist women’s support services, WAVE
as a network is often called upon for expertise, knowledge-sharing and
best-practices, as well as the development of recommendations and standards,
participation in international conferences, cooperation for trainings and study
visits, and involvement in lobbying efforts and harmonized data collection.
establishment of a women’s network at this time was critical for women’s
organizations, who were previously alone and operating without close
cooperation. Having WAVE as a network to connect women’s organizations around
the continent was a huge milestone in women’s progression for Europe.
Representing unity and strength, the WAVE Network throughout the past twenty
years has successfully managed to not only grow in membership (now 120 Members
throughout 46 countries), but has also developed an excellent reputation for
itself globally, being the only European network to work solely on violence
against prevention. By advocating for specialist women’s support services, WAVE
as a network is often called upon for expertise, knowledge-sharing and
best-practices, as well as the development of recommendations and standards,
participation in international conferences, cooperation for trainings and study
visits, and involvement in lobbying efforts and harmonized data collection.
Most people think that gender violence is
simply physical violence. What are the forms of violence which are less evident
but equally harmful that you address?
simply physical violence. What are the forms of violence which are less evident
but equally harmful that you address?
Unfortunately,
stereotypes of what violence against women is still exist, despite the mass
amount of awareness-raising, campaigning and training being conducted by
women’s organizations, civil society and even some governmental institutions.
Our focus as a network is violence against women – including domestic violence and
sexual violence. Domestic violence is an umbrella term, and subsumes many types
of violence, with physical violence being one of them. However, other forms of
violence we can see in domestic violence and also gender-based violence in
general is emotional, financial sexual, verbal, cyber and even spiritual
violence, all of which are just as harmful as physical violence. However, these
forms of violence are often overlooked and more challenging to address,
particularly because they are not always necessarily ‘visible’ and if a woman
does choose to report, are difficult to prove. Since these forms of violence
are also not as widely talked about, many women who experience these different
forms may not understand that she is experiencing violence. Furthermore, in
some cases and countries, even the law does not acknowledge some forms of
violence to be violence against women. If society and the law do not
acknowledge and implement support for all women victims of violence – including
migrant women – the shame and misunderstanding of violence is only reinforced
and perpetrators are essentially encouraged to commit violence against women
again. This is why a network such as WAVE is important for Europe. By joining
women’s organizations, professionals and experts in the field, we are able to
collaborate and work together for ensuring that the individual experience of a
women who have suffered from violence is able to seek adequate and quality
support, regardless of the type of violence or when it occurred, without fear
of victim-blaming or shame. Lobbying and awareness-raising on the issue must be
constant, so that the issue is always on the consciousness of society and
influences policy-making and the safety and needs of victims remain at the
forefront of policies and service provision.
The Step Up! Campaign which is currently underway around Europe, works
to address this and to raise awareness of this very important issue.
stereotypes of what violence against women is still exist, despite the mass
amount of awareness-raising, campaigning and training being conducted by
women’s organizations, civil society and even some governmental institutions.
Our focus as a network is violence against women – including domestic violence and
sexual violence. Domestic violence is an umbrella term, and subsumes many types
of violence, with physical violence being one of them. However, other forms of
violence we can see in domestic violence and also gender-based violence in
general is emotional, financial sexual, verbal, cyber and even spiritual
violence, all of which are just as harmful as physical violence. However, these
forms of violence are often overlooked and more challenging to address,
particularly because they are not always necessarily ‘visible’ and if a woman
does choose to report, are difficult to prove. Since these forms of violence
are also not as widely talked about, many women who experience these different
forms may not understand that she is experiencing violence. Furthermore, in
some cases and countries, even the law does not acknowledge some forms of
violence to be violence against women. If society and the law do not
acknowledge and implement support for all women victims of violence – including
migrant women – the shame and misunderstanding of violence is only reinforced
and perpetrators are essentially encouraged to commit violence against women
again. This is why a network such as WAVE is important for Europe. By joining
women’s organizations, professionals and experts in the field, we are able to
collaborate and work together for ensuring that the individual experience of a
women who have suffered from violence is able to seek adequate and quality
support, regardless of the type of violence or when it occurred, without fear
of victim-blaming or shame. Lobbying and awareness-raising on the issue must be
constant, so that the issue is always on the consciousness of society and
influences policy-making and the safety and needs of victims remain at the
forefront of policies and service provision.
The Step Up! Campaign which is currently underway around Europe, works
to address this and to raise awareness of this very important issue.
How effective is it for a country to
ratify CEDAW?
ratify CEDAW?
CEDAW
Convention offers a framework for states, more precisely tools for
decision-makers and policy-makers to work with, when it comes to eliminating
all forms of discrimination against women. By accepting the Convention, states
commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination
against women in all forms. When talking about violence against women, General
Recommendation No. 19 (1992) tackles the issue. The Convention can only be seen
in the light of a standard-setting Convention, as it will be the obligation of
the States to adopt the appropriate legislation in the matter, and more
importantly to effectively implement it. To establish the effectiveness for a
country to ratify CEDAW, would have to be made case-by-case. But there is more
to CEDAW than a framework convention, as in some ways, CEDAW goes some ways
further to ensure that the most basic human right is respected, to be free from
domestic violence. For example, the individual complaints procedure allows
individuals or groups of individuals to complain about State’s violations, or
the promotion of the CEDAW’s implementation at a state level, with the help of
the Committee’s concluding observations to state parties. In this case,
monitoring is critical for due diligence, and therefore women’s organizations
are provided with the opportunity to write shadow reports which assist in
holding states accountable to their responsibilities under the Convention.
Convention offers a framework for states, more precisely tools for
decision-makers and policy-makers to work with, when it comes to eliminating
all forms of discrimination against women. By accepting the Convention, states
commit themselves to undertake a series of measures to end discrimination
against women in all forms. When talking about violence against women, General
Recommendation No. 19 (1992) tackles the issue. The Convention can only be seen
in the light of a standard-setting Convention, as it will be the obligation of
the States to adopt the appropriate legislation in the matter, and more
importantly to effectively implement it. To establish the effectiveness for a
country to ratify CEDAW, would have to be made case-by-case. But there is more
to CEDAW than a framework convention, as in some ways, CEDAW goes some ways
further to ensure that the most basic human right is respected, to be free from
domestic violence. For example, the individual complaints procedure allows
individuals or groups of individuals to complain about State’s violations, or
the promotion of the CEDAW’s implementation at a state level, with the help of
the Committee’s concluding observations to state parties. In this case,
monitoring is critical for due diligence, and therefore women’s organizations
are provided with the opportunity to write shadow reports which assist in
holding states accountable to their responsibilities under the Convention.
What kind of support do you provide to
people that ask for your help?
people that ask for your help?
Although
WAVE is a network of women’s support services, and is not on its own a
counselling centre for women victims of violence, we do receive throughout the
year many requests for help, including cross-border support. Our very own name
‘Women against Violence Europe’, as well as our international reputation as
well as strong and historical expertise in the field, results in our
organization being the first to appear in a simple Google search when women,
organizations, institutions or academics are seeking support. The WAVE Information Centre is one of the
most essential activities of the organisation. WAVE staff are available on
working days (Monday-Friday) from 9:00-14:00, to provide information on
available services for women survivors of violence in 46 European countries,
refer individuals to relevant contacts (service providers, experts and
academics) in Europe, and support WAVE Members with their inquiries. The
different activities associated to the WAVE Information Centre are performed on
a daily basis. The Information Centre, a section for which has been added to
the WAVE website, can be reached by email, phone and through social media.
WAVE is a network of women’s support services, and is not on its own a
counselling centre for women victims of violence, we do receive throughout the
year many requests for help, including cross-border support. Our very own name
‘Women against Violence Europe’, as well as our international reputation as
well as strong and historical expertise in the field, results in our
organization being the first to appear in a simple Google search when women,
organizations, institutions or academics are seeking support. The WAVE Information Centre is one of the
most essential activities of the organisation. WAVE staff are available on
working days (Monday-Friday) from 9:00-14:00, to provide information on
available services for women survivors of violence in 46 European countries,
refer individuals to relevant contacts (service providers, experts and
academics) in Europe, and support WAVE Members with their inquiries. The
different activities associated to the WAVE Information Centre are performed on
a daily basis. The Information Centre, a section for which has been added to
the WAVE website, can be reached by email, phone and through social media.
The WAVE
Information Centre supports cross-border requests, which have increased in the
last few years, with each month WAVE receiving cross-border requests for
support from women survivors of violence, or from family members of the
survivors, from women’s support services, or from different institutions. The
requests are often received when women have not been able to find sufficient
support in their countries, are in dangerous and high-risk situations, are not
aware of the support provided in their countries, or the situation is
especially complex and requires cross-border assistance. In such cases, WAVE
has served both to refer the survivors to appropriate services in the relevant
countries, and to provide support to survivors, whenever possible.
Information Centre supports cross-border requests, which have increased in the
last few years, with each month WAVE receiving cross-border requests for
support from women survivors of violence, or from family members of the
survivors, from women’s support services, or from different institutions. The
requests are often received when women have not been able to find sufficient
support in their countries, are in dangerous and high-risk situations, are not
aware of the support provided in their countries, or the situation is
especially complex and requires cross-border assistance. In such cases, WAVE
has served both to refer the survivors to appropriate services in the relevant
countries, and to provide support to survivors, whenever possible.
In many
cases, situations involve women needing to relocate to other countries in order
to escape the violence as well as to seek support such as shelters or counselling.
Therefore, WAVE initiates contacts with relevant women’s organizations or
authorities in order to provide the necessary support to women. In some cases,
WAVE remains involved throughout the case to ensure the woman’s safety and a
positive outcome. The cases in 2016 varied and included women from various
countries in Europe and beyond. Please see the article on WAVE’s cross-border
support for more details.
cases, situations involve women needing to relocate to other countries in order
to escape the violence as well as to seek support such as shelters or counselling.
Therefore, WAVE initiates contacts with relevant women’s organizations or
authorities in order to provide the necessary support to women. In some cases,
WAVE remains involved throughout the case to ensure the woman’s safety and a
positive outcome. The cases in 2016 varied and included women from various
countries in Europe and beyond. Please see the article on WAVE’s cross-border
support for more details.
The
Information Centre also responds to requests from experts and academics,
women’s and other civil society organizations, and from the general public.
These include requests for specific information on WAVE’s publications and
work, internship and partnership requests, and communication with international
and European institutions. In 2016, WAVE received over 350 information requests
and 3,000 newsletters from various institutions and organizations, including
from the European Union and United Nations. WAVE also provides information for
professionals from different organizations who are seeking information for
victims, responds to questionnaires and surveys, and contacts from colleagues
in other countries for cross-country cooperation and exchange. In addition, an
important aspect of the work of the Information Centre is to provide
information and support to the 120 Network Members and to ensure that all are
consistently kept updated on the various activities and developments of the
WAVE Network.
Information Centre also responds to requests from experts and academics,
women’s and other civil society organizations, and from the general public.
These include requests for specific information on WAVE’s publications and
work, internship and partnership requests, and communication with international
and European institutions. In 2016, WAVE received over 350 information requests
and 3,000 newsletters from various institutions and organizations, including
from the European Union and United Nations. WAVE also provides information for
professionals from different organizations who are seeking information for
victims, responds to questionnaires and surveys, and contacts from colleagues
in other countries for cross-country cooperation and exchange. In addition, an
important aspect of the work of the Information Centre is to provide
information and support to the 120 Network Members and to ensure that all are
consistently kept updated on the various activities and developments of the
WAVE Network.
Do you cooperate with local authorities
and institutions?
and institutions?
Cooperation
with local authorities and institutions – including European-level
organizations – is important to the WAVE Network, particularly for
strengthening multi-agency efforts, sharing knowledge and information, ensuring
safety for women victims for violence, lobbying governmental bodies, and also, of
course, for sustainable funding to continue our work. Throughout the years,
WAVE has extensive cooperation with the European Commission, Council of Europe,
OAK Foundation, United Nations, and also European networks such as Platform for
International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), European Women’s
Lobby (EWL) and Work With Perpetrators European Network (WWP EN). Developing
coalitions with other organizations working in the field and actively participating
in European projects with our Members and other civil society organizations is
critical to our work. For instance, just the past year, WAVE was able to ensure
participation from countries outside the EU, in particular Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia, through generous OAK
Foundation funding. Through cooperation with the Council of Europe,
multidisciplinary delegations composed of professionals and government
officials from around the world – this year from Serbia – ensured that the work
of WAVE and the promotion of multi-agency work is passed on to important
decision makers and stakeholders.
with local authorities and institutions – including European-level
organizations – is important to the WAVE Network, particularly for
strengthening multi-agency efforts, sharing knowledge and information, ensuring
safety for women victims for violence, lobbying governmental bodies, and also, of
course, for sustainable funding to continue our work. Throughout the years,
WAVE has extensive cooperation with the European Commission, Council of Europe,
OAK Foundation, United Nations, and also European networks such as Platform for
International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), European Women’s
Lobby (EWL) and Work With Perpetrators European Network (WWP EN). Developing
coalitions with other organizations working in the field and actively participating
in European projects with our Members and other civil society organizations is
critical to our work. For instance, just the past year, WAVE was able to ensure
participation from countries outside the EU, in particular Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia and Serbia, through generous OAK
Foundation funding. Through cooperation with the Council of Europe,
multidisciplinary delegations composed of professionals and government
officials from around the world – this year from Serbia – ensured that the work
of WAVE and the promotion of multi-agency work is passed on to important
decision makers and stakeholders.
One
of the many ways WAVE cooperates with other networks and organizations in the
field is to successfully lobby stakeholders. In August 2016, the CEDAW
Committee called for comments from interested parties to submit their opinions
regarding the Draft General Recommendation No. 19 (1992): accelerating
elimination of gender-based violence against women. The WAVE office welcomed this
initiative, and after prior consultation with WAVE Members, submitted recommendations on the working-draft on 29 September. WAVE
also formed a coalition to end violence against women and girls with EWL and
several other civil society networks to support the EU signature and
ratification of the Istanbul Convention, continued to work closely with UN
Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its consequences and
consequences, Dubravka Šimonović, in
particular on establishing a femicide watch.
of the many ways WAVE cooperates with other networks and organizations in the
field is to successfully lobby stakeholders. In August 2016, the CEDAW
Committee called for comments from interested parties to submit their opinions
regarding the Draft General Recommendation No. 19 (1992): accelerating
elimination of gender-based violence against women. The WAVE office welcomed this
initiative, and after prior consultation with WAVE Members, submitted recommendations on the working-draft on 29 September. WAVE
also formed a coalition to end violence against women and girls with EWL and
several other civil society networks to support the EU signature and
ratification of the Istanbul Convention, continued to work closely with UN
Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its consequences and
consequences, Dubravka Šimonović, in
particular on establishing a femicide watch.
Since
2014, WAVE has been a Member of WWP EN. The aim of this cooperation with
perpetrator programmes is to ensure that the safety of victims is of primary
concern for all perpetrator programmes, and the network promotes effective
perpetrator work with those who commit violence, mainly men. The WAVE Network
has a permanent position on the Board of WWP EN, and other WAVE Member
organization are also members. By having women’s organizations represented in
the Board, and also by opening network membership to specialist women’s support
services, the work of WWP EN guarantees a feminist voice in the structure and
activities of the network. Members of WWP EN attended the 18th WAVE
Conference in Berlin by hosting two workshops, and in October, WAVE attended
the WWP EN Annual Workshop Meeting held in Krakow, Poland. This three-day event
gathered around fifty WWP EN Members, and focused on quality standards for work
with perpetrators.
2014, WAVE has been a Member of WWP EN. The aim of this cooperation with
perpetrator programmes is to ensure that the safety of victims is of primary
concern for all perpetrator programmes, and the network promotes effective
perpetrator work with those who commit violence, mainly men. The WAVE Network
has a permanent position on the Board of WWP EN, and other WAVE Member
organization are also members. By having women’s organizations represented in
the Board, and also by opening network membership to specialist women’s support
services, the work of WWP EN guarantees a feminist voice in the structure and
activities of the network. Members of WWP EN attended the 18th WAVE
Conference in Berlin by hosting two workshops, and in October, WAVE attended
the WWP EN Annual Workshop Meeting held in Krakow, Poland. This three-day event
gathered around fifty WWP EN Members, and focused on quality standards for work
with perpetrators.
As
part of the Step Up! Campaign, PICUM and WAVE came together to improve access
to services for undocumented women and women who have precarious immigration
status, with the goal to make support services for gender-based violence
accessible for all women, whatever their migration status. WAVE and PICUM joined
forces with key women’s rights and migrant’ rights organisations in various
European countries and developed a Pledge for individuals and organizations to
sign, as well as a checklist for specialist support services to help determine
the barriers which currently exist in their service provision for supporting
undocumented migrant women. The Pledge, and more information on the joint
cooperation, can be seen here: www.wave-stepup.org
part of the Step Up! Campaign, PICUM and WAVE came together to improve access
to services for undocumented women and women who have precarious immigration
status, with the goal to make support services for gender-based violence
accessible for all women, whatever their migration status. WAVE and PICUM joined
forces with key women’s rights and migrant’ rights organisations in various
European countries and developed a Pledge for individuals and organizations to
sign, as well as a checklist for specialist support services to help determine
the barriers which currently exist in their service provision for supporting
undocumented migrant women. The Pledge, and more information on the joint
cooperation, can be seen here: www.wave-stepup.org
