The first evaluation report of Slovenia’s implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (“the Istanbul Convention”) has been published together with the comments by Slovenian authorities.
The report highlights numerous positive legal and policy measures but points out that less attention is directed towards forms of violence against women which do not involve domestic violence. Women from socially vulnerable groups should be given more attention, data collection should be improved and a stronger criminal justice response is needed.
The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO) notes with satisfaction the significant progress made by the Slovenian authorities towards building a comprehensive legal, policy and institutional framework in the field of prevention of domestic violence - before the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in February 2015, and afterwards. The Criminal Code amended in 2015 defines domestic violence, as well as stalking and forced marriage, as criminal offences. Moreover, the definitions of rape and sexual violence have been amended by moving away from a force-based definition, which is an overall positive development that will hopefully contribute to an increase in the number of reports and convictions for such acts.
