According to the last CEDAW report (2009) many issues involving violence against women have not been properly addressed, such as the absence of a comprehensive national law on violence against women.
[18]In Switzerland, 22.3% of women experience sexual violence by non-partners in their lifetime.
[19]
Domestic violence is covered by several different provisions of the Penal Code and one article of the Civil Code.
[20] The Civil Code establishes the right of victim to have the perpetrator expelled from their place of residence and to file for a protection order.
[21] In the Penal Code, some of the listed offences linked to domestic Violence are minor physical harm
[22], recurrent injury
[23], threats
[24], sexual coercion
[25] and spousal rape
[26]. Stalking is not classified as a criminal offence, which can create problems for women being stalked by their former partners.
[27] The Penal Code was modified in April 2004 to establish that the police is no longer required to wait for the victim to file a complaint in order to pursue legal action against a perpetrator.
[28]Moreover, 26 local laws were amended in 2011 through the inclusion into the Swiss Code of Criminal Procedure of the
Loi fédérale du 23 mars 2007 sur l’aide aux victimes d’infractions (‘Federal Act of 23 March 2007 on the aid to victims of crimes’). From this moment on, the victim is defined as the person who has suffered a direct attack on his or her physical, mental or sexual integrity.
[29] Two of the main rights of the victims include being informed by the police of her/his rights and of the current legal status of the perpetrator (if under detention, etc.).
[30]
All cantons have
Centres de Consultation (‘Counselling Centers’) that provide aid to victims of violence and inform them of their rights under the Federal Act of 23 March 2007 on the aid to victims of crimes. These centres are directed for women and men as well as children and adolescents.
[31]Counselling is also available for perpetrators.
[32] In the case of female victims, some of the services provided are protection and accommodation, social and psychological support, material aid and financial assistance.
[33]
Even before Article 28b of the Civil Code established the rights of protection orders of the victims in 2006, several cantons had introduced rules of prevention and protection against domestic violence. But since the new section of the Civil Code came into force, all cantons have grounded their provisions on domestic violence on what is established by the Civil Code. Some cantons chose to include the changes into their Police Act; others preferred to adopt a specific law on protection against violence.
[34]
According to data provided by the Swiss National Bureau of Statistics, in 2011, 38.1% of all violence offenses were offenses of domestic violence. The police recorded 8597 cases of domestic violence in 2011. More than half of the offenses occur within couples (53.1%) and about a quarter between ex-partners (28.4%). Also, women are 3.1 times more likely to be the victim than men. Foreign women are 4.5 times more vulnerable to domestic violence than Swiss women.
[35] A 2005 study found that 10.5% of women suffered physical or sexual violence from their partner in their adulthood.
[36] The same study also gives interesting information regarding the increased vulnerabilities of migrant women victims of domestic violence: they are less likely to seek help as they are less informed and encounter language barriers; and their limited social network means they are less likely to leave their house.
[37] In addition, many do not report domestic violence for fear of having to return to their country of origin.
[38]In terms of information on how stereotypes influence domestic violence, the ONG Terre des Femmes Suisse reports that the link between domestic violence and the question of “honour” is seldom taken into account. It is universally assumed that domestic violence is only linked to the notion of honour within immigrant communities, as opposed to Swiss nationals, and this dimension is rarely taken into account.
[39]
The Swiss Penal code distinguishes between different types of sexual aggressions, setting apart
rape from sexual coercion
[40]. Rape is defined as forcing a woman to engage in the sexual act through the use of threats, violence or psychological pressure or by putting her in a situation where she is unable to resist. The punishment is one to ten years of imprisonment. If the perpetrator acts in a cruel manner, for instance by utilizing a dangerous weapon, the minimum punishment is three years.
[41] The Penal Code specifies that the minimum punishment is ten years plus a fine for perpetrators that take advantage of victims who are incapable of discernment or resistance.
[42] Sexual coercion is defined in the same way as rape, except for that in this case there seems to be no penetration but an act of a sexual nature.
[43] The punishment for sexual coercion is also ten years, plus a fine.
[44]
According to 2013 information provided by the Federal Department of Interior and the Federal Office for Gender Equality, marital rape is taken into account.
[45]
The police recorded 205 cases of reported rape in 2009, 184 in 2010 and 197 in 2011
[46], out of which there were 128, 128 and 86 convictions respectively.
[47]
Sexual harassment is addressed in the Federal Act on Gender Equality (1995)
[48], the Criminal Code
[49], the Labour Law (1964)
[50] and the Obligations Code
[51]. It is defined in the 1995 Act as any harassing behaviour of a sexual nature or other behaviour related to the person’s sex that adversely affects the dignity of women or men in the workplace. Such behaviour includes in particular threats, the promise of advantages/promotions in return for sexual favours, and the use of coercion. Moreover, the Federal Office for Gender Equality, the public institution responsible for dealing with sexual harassment cases, also includes offensive remarks and sexist jokes, unwelcome physical contact or touching, pressure or requests for sexual favours associated with the promise of job advantages or threats.
[52] In addition, according to information provided by the Federal Office for Gender Equality, the law stipulates that employers have an obligation to protect their employees from sexual harassment.
[53] However the penalties are not clearly stated in the legislation, nor are the measures for its implementation.
A 2007 survey found that 28% of women and 10% of men interviewed felt sexually harassed during their professional life or felt disturbed by harassment during this period.
[54]
In terms of stereotypes around sexual harassment, the Federal Office for Gender Equality has identified two commonly-believed myths. First, the ways in which woman dresses and behaves are the main causes for sexual harassment. Second, that complimenting people on their physical appearance is always welcome.
[55]
More
Since 2002,
abortion is available on demand in Switzerland.
[56]
The Swiss Federal Office for Police reports that between 1,500 and 3,000 victims of
trafficking in women come to Switzerland every year.
[57] The main victims of human trafficking and forced labour in Switzerland are women, in the form of sexual exploitation or in the domestic work sector. Article 182 of the Criminal Code criminalises such practice.
[58] Prostitution of minors also disproportionally affects women and girls, and there was a recent change in the Penal Code to reflect this.
[59]
[18] CEDAW/C/CHE/CO/3, (2009)p.6 [19] UN (n.d.), http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/situation.shtml [20] Departement Fédéral de l’intérieur et Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2013) « La violence domestique dans la législation suisse » [21] Article 28b; Departement Fédéral de l’intérieur et Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2013) « La violence domestique dans la législation suisse » p.6 [22] Article 123, ch. 2, al. 3-5 [23] Article 126, al. 2, let. b, bbis and c [24] Article 180.2 [25] Article 189 [26] Article 190. [27]http://www.cfd-ch.org/16tage/material/SwissNationalActionPlanWAVE.pdf [28] Departement Fédéral de l’intérieur et Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2013) « La violence domestique dans la législation suisse » p.2 [29] Departement Fédéral de l’intérieur et Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2013) « La violence domestique dans la législation suisse » p.3 [30] Departement Fédéral de l’intérieur et Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2013) « La violence domestique dans la législation suisse » p.4 [31] Federal Office for Gender Equality’s website. www.ebg.admin.ch/themen/00009/00089/00120/index.html?lang=fr (accessed 21/03/2014) [32] Federal Office for Gender Equality’s website. http://www.ebg.admin.ch/themen/00009/00089/00121/index.html?lang=fr (accessed 21/03/2014) [33] Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2009) Vers l’égalité entre femmes et hommes : Situation et évolution. p.29 [34] Departement Fédéral de l’intérieur et Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2013) « La violence domestique dans la législation suisse » p.8 [35] Office Fédéral de la Statistique (2012) «Violence domestique enregistrée par la police » p.5 [36] Killias, Simonin & De Puy (2005) [37] http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/1/142.20.de.pdf [38] : Gewalt in Paarbeziehungen , Studie des EBG vom 13. Mai 2009 (pdf, 205 S.), available under: http://www.humanrights.ch/de/Schweiz/Inneres/Gewalt/Gewalt/idart_6930-content.html [39] Terre de Femmes Switzerland’s website. http://www.terre-des-femmes.ch/fr/gewalt-ehre/was-sind-gewalt-ehre/eg-situation-in-der-schweiz (accessed 21/03/2014) [40] “contrainte sexuelle’’ [41] Article 190 of the Penal Code [42] Article 191 [43] Article 189 ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois’s website. http://www.chuv.ch/dgo/dgo_home/dgo_patients/dgo_info_violence/dgo_info_violence_viol.htm(accessed 21/03/2014) [44] Article 189 [45] Departement Fédéral de l’intérieur et Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (2013) « La violence domestique dans la législation suisse » p.4 [46] Office Fédéral de la Statistique (2012) «Violence domestique enregistrée par la police » p.9[47] Office Fédéral de la Statistique’s website. http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/fr/index/themen/19/03/03/key/straftaten /haeufigste_delikte.html (accessed 21/03/2014) [48] Articles 4 and 5.3 [49] Article 198 [50] Article 6.1, Ordonnance 3 and 4 [51] Article 328.1 [52] Federal Office for Gender Equality’s website. http://www.ebg.admin.ch/themen/00008/00074/index.html?lang=fr (accessed 20/03/2014) [53] Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (n.d.) « Harcèlement sexuel sur le lieu de travail. Informations à l’intention des employeuses et employeurs » pp. 4-5 [54] Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (n.d.) « Harcèlement sexuel sur le lieu de travail. Informations à l’intention des employeuses et employeurs » pp.6-7 [55] Bureau fédéral de l’égalité entre femmes (n.d.) « Harcèlement sexuel sur le lieu de travail. Informations à l’intention des employeuses et employeurs » pp. 14-15 [56] http://www.svss-uspda.ch/fr/suisse/comparaison.htm [57] FIZ (n.d.)Trafficking in Women, http://www.fiz-info.ch/en/Topics/Trafficking-in-women [58]http://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/19370083/201401010000/311.0.pdf (in german) [59]Département fédéral de justice et de police (2014), Recourir aux services sexuels de jeunes entre 16 et 18 ans sera désormais puni, http://www.ejpd.admin.ch/content/ejpd/fr/home/dokumentation/mi/2014/2014-03-070.html