Op 25 januari 2023 heeft een grote meerderheid van de Parlementaire Assemblee van de Raad van Europa het rapport Finding solutions for marital captivity aangenomen, samen met de bijbehorende resolutie. Rapport en resolutie waren ingediend door Margreet de Boer, Eerste Kamerlid en lid van de Raad.
De resolutie positioneert huwelijkse gevangenschap in de context van geweld tegen vrouwen, en laat zien dat de aanpak ervan onderdeel moet zijn van nationaal beleid om geweld tegen vrouwen tegen te gaan. Ook bevat de resolutie aanbevelingen voor lidstaten van de Raad van Europa om huwelijkse gevangenschap te voorkomen en bestrijden, onder andere door versterking van het wettelijk kader, het nemen van preventieve maatregelen, het beschermen en ondersteunen van slachtoffers en het samenwerken met relevante gemeenschappen.
Summary report
Marital captivity occurs when a person having entered into a civil or religious marriage or who is living in a marital situation wishes to end it, but finds that they are unable to do so. Its causes may be multiple, including fear of violence; fear of losing custody of or contact with one’s children; family or community pressure; or lack of financial autonomy. The phenomenon is little known but is estimated to affect tens of thousands of people – mostly women – in Europe every year.
Being trapped in a marriage can lead to a wide range of violations of rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights as well as key provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention). The trapped spouse often cannot start a new relationship or remarry; they may be prevented from travelling; and they may encounter serious violence and threats, including so-called ‘honour’-based violence. There is a pressing need to tackle these issues effectively.
Many solutions to marital captivity are already being actively explored by civil society as well as by some States. Bearing in mind the human rights issues at stake, all States must intensify their efforts to raise awareness of this issue and take measures to ensure that cases of marital captivity are prevented and that effective remedies are readily accessible to victims wherever it occurs.
Finding solutions for marital captivity
Bron: www.femmesforfreedom.com