Inspiring examples that respond to GREVIO's recommendations

By ratifying the Istanbul Convention, Sweden has undertaken to provide support and assistance to all girls and women who are exposed to violence and to prevent, prosecute and abolish men's violence against women, violence in intimate partner relationships and honour-related violence and oppression. The Council of Europe's expert group GREVIO (Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence) has reviewed how well Sweden lives up to the convention. The review resulted in 41 recommendations. This means that good needs to get better. As part of the Swedish Gender Equality Agency's mission regarding the Istanbul Convention, we have collected examples of activities at local and regional level that respond to the Council of Europe's recommendations.

This is how women's shelters work to reach Sami women

Women's and girls' shelters in Norrbotten learned that Sami women do not contact social services, the police or a women's shelter when they are exposed to violence in intimate relationships. Work is now underway to reach Sami women and girls to inform them that they can seek support and protection by telephone if they are subjected to violence.

Dentists have a unique opportunity to detect exposure to violence

Anyone who is exposed to violence in an intimate relationship should be able to receive the best possible treatment from the professional groups that are supposed to provide support. That was the reason why the government decided that knowledge about men's violence against women and violence in intimate partner relationships should be a degree objective in, among other things, dental education.

The Iceland project responds to GREVIO's advice on a strong focus on children and collaboration

In the event of an acute incident of violence in a family, it is important that interventions are directed at everyone in the family – children and adults exposed to violence, children who have witnessed or experienced violence and the people who have perpetrated violence. Therefore, it is important that the relevant authorities cooperate as early as possible.

How the police succeeded in clearing up more sexual offenses

Few sexual crimes lead to charges and convictions in Sweden, according to the Council of Europe's expert group GREVIO. In order to achieve a better result, the police in Stockholm Nord chose to change their way of working, which proved to be successful – significantly more crimes were solved.

This is how one women's shelter and the municipality secured school attendance

Several of the Council of Europe's expert group GREVIO's recommendations to Sweden deal with a strengthened children's rights perspective, including in sheltered housing. Children who live in sheltered housing must, for example, be allowed to continue attending preschool and school. Better procedures and stronger collaboration are needed. In one medium-sized city, there is now a collaboration between a women's shelter and a municipality to ensure that school attendance is secured.

Men's violence against women

Publication date: 28 July 2022

Last updated: 16 December 2022