Italian experience on violence against women survey

1. Italian experience on violence against women survey Giovanna Tagliacozzo

2. the problem Violence is ... any form of violence act that cause physical, sexual, or psychological sufference…….privation of liberty in public and private spaces (United Nations World Conference,Vienna 1993)

3. Different ViolenceForms • Verbal (critics, humiliations,) • Psychological (downgrating, blackmail, intimidation) • Economic (control of expenditure, no acces to money, no information on income) • Stalking • physical • Sexual

4. Violence authors Generally it’s repeated along years It’s characterized by escalation and has an own cycle It can be perpetrated by an unknown person, by a friend, a colleague, a relative or by a parents It is domestic violence when the author is a partner, an husband, a cohabitant, a fiancé or a former partner

5. Violence and, above all, violence in the family is still an underreported and an understudied social problem • Women rarely disclose what has happened to them and even more rarely • they report to the police • they seek for help in the crisis centres or in other social services • Official data gathered with criminal statistics do not provide enough evidence on violence against women. Especially in cases of domestic violence

6. Violence in criminal statistics • Few data in registerstatistics - Police statistics Increasing of reported sexual violence since the 1996, age of the new law on sexual violence (crime against the person; no more against the morality) 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 * 2005 2006 2007 2008 1151 1582 1846 1904 2336 2447 2543 2744 3734 4020 4513 4897 4893 *historical series interruption since 2004

7. And … • The rate of sexual violence reported to the police is absolutely low • Only the 7% delle donne report the violence suffered in the life course • only 9% in the last 3 years • it increases to 15,5% when the offender is a stranger • it decreases to 4% if the offender is a known person

8. We have data from victimization survey(Citizens’s safety survey1997-1998, 2002, 2008) But they potentially understimate the partner violence Because: • The contest is that of crime collections • Victim have to be aware • The perception of the partner is negative, as a criminal

9. To learn about violence against women (with regard to its prevalence, incidence rate and nature) Information should be gathered from those directly involved (i.e. women), who are asked about their lives Only surveys on domestic violence can achieve this aim

10. The contribution of violence against women surveys • To highlight the hidden phenomenon of violence • To break mytes and sterotypes on violence • To stimulate the culture debate • To sensityze public opinion

11. Critical issues Differerent perception: • Linked to different culture, social and geographical background • Sensitivity of the topic: • Fear to disclosure, guilty feeling, fear to be perceveid as coresponsible, fear of being punished • Memory effect: • forgetting, removal, difficulty to place the event in the right timing (telescoping effect)

12. The beginning of the survey • From a sensitization process: • of research comunity • of society • From an agreement • Istat and Departement of Equal Opportunities • Responding to international debate

13. and …… • Women desire to disclosure their violence experience • More open attitude to reveal • The need to measure the hidden phenomenon • Tabù e Stereotypes • How to help women

14. Starting points • To look at exisisting surveys in other countries (statics Canada, NVAWS –Usa, finnish, IVAWS, WHO) But …. • Attention to the real possibility to use the same methodologies over different countries • At the presence of different cultural contexts • Different meanings given to violence and their different forms • Study of research feasibility, in the own context

15. The research aims to address several aspect of violence against women: • Prevalence and incidence rate of different types of violence a specific attention has domestic violence by current or former partner • psychological • economical • physical • sexual • Characteristics of those involved and characteristics, consequences and costs of violence, the history of violence • Risk and protective factors related to individuals as well to socio-demographical domain • The every day life context in which violence can arise

16. Surveys on violence against women are complex: need to address sensitive issues Need methodological and procedural dedicated tools that help women to disclosure and beforehand to recognize what is violence in her life. Focus on: • variables measured • way of posing questions • funnelling effects • use of specific terms • specific training of interviewers • social perception of the problem of violence against women

17. Characteristics of Surveys • Use of large and representative samples of the population • Use of validated instruments and appropriate methodology • Use of standardized procedures • Periodically repeated, approx. every five year • Focus on quality beside quantity

18. - strategies The survey Pre-test On the pretrial version of the questionnaire, on 78 women, 11 of whom from crisis centres Focus groups • carried out with: • abused women (2) • shelters’ workers (6) • interviewers with experience on victimization surveys (1) • women from 18 to 70 years old different from those of the above groups (1) Interviews to key professionals legal and social experts working in the field of violence against women, lawyer, judge, policeman …

19. Regarding: Content of the questionnaire • What is domestic violence (especially psychological violence) • Different expressions of violence (Economical violence, Psychological violence, Physical violence, Sexual violence) • How women deal with violence, which is their perception • Early precursors of dv, cycle violence • The attribution of responsibility • Risk factors • Consequences of violence • The role of children or of other push in reporting or going out of violence • Prejudices and stereotypes

20. Regarding:Proceduralmethods • How to gain women’s faith (for the training of interviewers) • Feelings experienced from women as regards the survey • Characteristics of interviewers • The emotional impact on interviewers • What to ask and how • Wording and sequence • How to introduce the study • Length of the interview

21. Results - Methodology How to approach the woman • To motivate on Importance of the study • Find the best time for her (with no partner in the house) • Timetable of interviews • from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Friday • from 9am to 7pm on Saturday • Possibility to make an appointment and to call to a mobile phone to augment privacy • Reassure about privacy issues/anonymity • Create a good climate of confidence and faith • Toll free number (to reassure, to have information, to give more information to be found, as “alarm bell”) • Letter signed by Istat president presidente(to reduce the refusal rate) • Restitution

22. Wording and the questionnaire design • Funnelling effect • Different types of crime analysed are presented with a screening procedure which helps to focus the attention on both the type of violence as well as on all possible authors • The language adopted should be clear and not redundant • Questions should also adopt sentences not using jargons or other unclear questions. • No name it‘VIOLENCE’ • The type of violence is defined in a way that women can remember and reflect their lives as if in a mirror • Ask gradually about violence • The questions measuring violence should be included gradually

23. Go in gradually into the relationship with the female interviewer • Ask questions on the every day life, leisure time, social networks, health, before those on violence • Repeat the screening of physical and sexual violence for the actual and the former partner • Insert the questions on violence from the partner in the section on the partner’s characteristics, after having asked about the relationship and the psychological violence battery

24. Revision of the questionnaire 2004 pilot survey on 1.000 women 16-70 years old  Survey feasibility  Some critical aspects: Focus group small test on 200 interviews 2006 full fledgedsurvey on 25.000 women The Pilot Survey: Survey organization Interviewers selection Interviewers training Sample Monitoring phase Results of the survey quality

25. Interviewers Selection Interviewers were chosen based on the following: • Female; • Minimum 24 years old; • Comfortable discussing issues related to violence against women; • Sensitivity and maturity; • Professional experience in CATI surveys as well as in dealing with cases of violence (according to the type of the group); • Prior experience in handling similar sensitive research studies; • Listening skills, empathy, no counselling; • Probing, no judgment; • Warm tone of voice that helps creating a positive climate; • Capacity to keep adequate detachment; • Skills to elaborate own emotions and to handle unexpected situations; • Motivation The Pilot Survey: Survey organization Interviewers selection Interviewers training Monitoring phase Sample Results of the survey quality

26. Interviewers Training 6 days of theoretical training From 9am to 2pm - sexual violence - domestic violence About the subject - emotional abuse and psychological violence - risk factors - consequences - how to recognize it ....... - how to read the question About the - how to codify the answer Methodology - the sample - the contact procedure ...... - how to handle them - no counsellor About the emotion - warm tone of voice - learning the detachment and empaty ........ The Pilot Survey: Survey organization Interviewers selection Interviewers training Sample Monitoring phase Results of the survey quality

27. Monitoring phase • Help assistance during the entire collection phase • Every day quality indicators (refusal rate, contact/non contact rate, appointment rate, average lenght ...) • For interviewers • For interviewer group • For time of calls • At local level • Debriefing with interviewers every week • Psychological support The Pilot Survey: Survey organization Interviewers selection Interviewers training Monitoring phase Sample Results of the survey quality

28. Sample • Design - two stages random sample stratified at the first stage • First stage - households present on the official list of telephone subscribers • Stratification criterion - Stratus variable: region and type of municipality • Size - 25.000 household selected all over the country and a sample for possible substitution (territorial criterion of proximity) • Second stage - Women aged 16-70 years old • Selection criterion - Random selection between eligible women The Pilot Survey: Survey organization Interviewers selection Interviewers training Monitoring phase Sample Results of the survey quality

29. Resources • Multidisciplinary approach of research team • Psychologist (1 or 2) • Sociologist (2) • Statisticians (2) Since 2 years before the survey • Female interviewers well recruited and well trained at the aim to be supportive but not a counsellor (65 for a period of 8 months) • Costs of telephone interview: 20 euro each interview

30. Main results

31. The figures of violence • 6.743.000 women aged 16-70 have suffered physical or sexual abuse • 31,9% of women 16-70 • 18,8% physical abuse • 24,7% sexual abuse • 4,7% rape or attempted rape • 14,3% by partner • 24,7% by non partner

32. Prevalence of domestic and non domestic violence The 69,7% of rape are made by partner About the 63% of physical violence is made by a partner

33. Forms of physical violence PUSHED OR GRABBED YOU WISTED YOUR ARM OR PULLED YOUR HAIR THREATENED to hurt you physically SLAPPED, KICKED, BIT OR HIT YOU WITH A FIST THROWN SOMETHING AT YOU OR HIT used or threatened to use a KNIFE OR GUN on you PHYSICALLY VIOLENT towards you in a different way STRANGLE OR SUFFOCATE YOU, BURN OR SCALD

34. Forms of sexual violence Unwanted touching Unwanted sexual intercourse suffered as violence Attempted rape Rape Partner coercion to do something sexual that you find degrading or humiliating Sexual violence in a different way To be forced to have sex with others

35. Violence outside the partnership • The same framework is present for sexual violence before 16 years. • The 6,6% of women had been victimized, the author of violence was: • a relative in the 23,8% of cases • an other known persons in the 24,7% • an unknown persons for the 24,8% of victims

36. Psychological violence (BY THE CURRENT PARTNER) 43,2% of women have suffered psychological violence, the 21,1% often or sometimes Restraining behaviours 46,7 Controlling behaviours 40,7 Economic violence 30,7 Downgrading 23,8 Intimidation 7,8 Very often psychological violence come together with physical violence

37. STALKING (BY AN EX PARTNER) Women who suffered stalking by a partner when they were separating or after the separation are2.077.000,the18.8%

38. The seriousness of partner violence • Very or enough serious 64,2 • Injuries 27,2 • Fear of life dangerous 21,3 • How do you consider the violence suffered? • A crime 18,2 • Something wrong but not a crime 44,0 • Only something that is happened 36,0 Even for rape and attempted rape, only26,5%of the victims regards the incident as a crime The same trend is for non partner violence, even if less accentuated

39. Victims’ silence Not reported abuses93,8% • in a partnership92,5% • outside a partnership95,6% Even for rape and attempted rape, the dark figure is broad 93,3% Furthermore, a lot of women don’t talk to anyone about violence 30,5% • in a partnership 33,9% • outside a partnership 24,0%

40. Victims’ silence Partner violence

41. Talking about violence Partner Non partner • No one 33,9% 24,0 • Friends 36,9% 41,0 • Family members32,7% 32,2 • Partner - 23,9 • Other relatives 9,5% 7,2 • Judges, lawyers, police 4,9% 2,2 • Work colleagues, boss etc. 4,2% 8,6 • Social services agents 3,9% 0,8 • Physicians, nurses, first aid workers 3,7% 1,3 • Women’s centre, Crisis centre 2,8%* 2,4 * Data does not include victims who suffered only one incident in which they have been threatened or bitten or grabbed

42. The consequences of domestic violence 1.572.000women during their life suffered repeated violence by their partner. For this reason among them suffered of: • loss of confidence and self esteem 48,8% • helplessness44,9% • troubles in sleeping 41,5% • anxiety 37,4% • depression 34,8% • troubles in concentration24,3% • recurrent pains in different parts of the body 18,5% • troubles in taking care of children14,3% • self injuries, suicide intentions12,3%

43. …..In conclusion • Many things can be done to achieve good data, taking into account the social and cultural context of each specific country • It’s important to guarantee a periodicity of the surveys in order to assure the regular monitoring of the level and characteristics of the violence • Also at international level, even if data are not completely comparable, data are very useful to monitor the trend • Policies can be developed based on the knowledge built trough the surveys