Violence against women and domestic violence in relation to the Istanbul Convention

• Author: Biljana Kotevska
• Pages: 60-64

60

10 Violence ag ainst women and domestic violence in relation t o the Istanbul

Convention

10.1 General (legal) context

10.1.1 Surveys and reports on issues of violence against wom en and domestic violence

Several surveys and reports looking at violence against women and domestic violence have

been conducted.142 From among these, tw o studies are presented here in greater detai l.

The first one is selected because of its scope and the finding s which bring unique insight

into the manifestation of domestic violence in North Macedonia. The second one is selected

because it is the most recent one and because it focuses on sexual violence, which is where

the first study presented focuses the least.

To begin with, although slightly older, the 2012 national survey of domestic violence is still

an important survey to mention, since it is the largest and most detailed such survey

conducted to date in the country, and since it shed important light on the country-specific

dynamics of domestic violence. There are several main findings of th e survey. The survey

found that women are much more affected by domestic violence than men, and the

perpetrators are, by a large majority, men. The survey found an overall 37.7 % prevalence

rate in the total population, whe rein for women the prevalence is higher, at 39.4 %, and

for men lower, at 35.5 %. The authors note that variables determining likelihood of

violence among women are ‘their ageз educational level, number of children present in the

household, location (rural or urban) and ethnicity. Ed ucational level is closely tied to both

labour market status and other economic variables’ – whereas with men, this is only age

and location. There are several findings which a re very telling in t erms of u nderstanding

how domestic violence manifests itself in the country.143 For example, the sur vey found

the following:

‘Most of the psychologica l violence experienced in Macedonian h ouseholds is

associated with: anger, restriction, prohibition, suspicion, control, etc. Economic

violence and violence that include insulting, degrading and threatenin g is

experienced b y a mu ch lower pr oportion of h ouseholds. […] Physical violence and

sexual violence were found to have a low prevalence, which can be explained both

142 Dimushevska, E. and Trajanovska, Lj. (2017), Scoping study on sexual violence, National Network to End

Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, available at: www.glasprotivnasilstvo.org.mk/wp-

content/uploads/2013/11/Scoping-study-on-sexual-violence.pdf; Chalovska-Dimovska, N. (2016), 

       з     

 (Report from the monitoring of the implementation of the Law on Prevention and Protection

against Domestic Violence), National Network to End Violence against Women and Domestic Violence,

available at: http://www.glasprotivnasilstvo.org.mk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Monitoring-na-zakon-za-

SN_final.pdf; Gelevska, M. and Mishev, S. (2017), Analysis of the legal framework and institutional

response to violence against women, Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women – ESE,

available at:

http://esem.org.mk/en/pdf/Publikacii/2017/Analysis%20of%20the%20legal%20framework.pdf; Gelevska,

M. and Mishev, S. (2017), Findings regarding the court monitoring conducted in terms of cases of violence

against women, Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women – ESE, available at:

https://esem.org.mk/en/pdf/Publikacii/2017/Findings%20Court%20Monitoring%20_DV.pdf; Reactor –

Research in Action (2012),     -    

      (Scoping study on gender-based violence and discrimination against

women and girls in urban public spaces of the City of Skopje), available at:

http://www.reactor.org.mk/CMS/Files/Publications/Documents/scoping%20study%20%20VAW%20public%

20spaces%20Skopje.pdf; Popovska, Lj. et al (2012), Report on the National Survey on Domestic Violence,

UNDP, available at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297704253_Report_on_the_National_Survey_on_Domestic_Viole

nce; Association for Emancipation, Solidarity and Equality of Women – ESE (2011),    

  (Violence against women in the workplace), available at: https://www.pravdiko.mk/wp-

content/uploads/2014/01/Nasilstvo-vrz-zheni-na-rabotno-mesto.pdf.

143 Popovska, Lj. et al (2012), Report on the National Survey on Domestic Violence, UNDP, available at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297704253_Report_on_the_National_Survey_on_Domestic_Viole

nce.