A few months ago, Opferhilfe beider Basel was called to a medical facility for victim counseling. A woman over eighty years old was affected. She was injured and said she had fallen, which can happen at her age. After initially keeping her distance, the patient opened up during the conversation. Sobbing and accompanied by a great deal of shame, she talked about her married life, which has been characterized by domestic violence for 60 years: beatings, humiliation and other forms of psychological violence. She talked about her fear, her helplessness, about the three children who witnessed everything. Her anger at relatives and acquaintances who knew about it but did nothing was also palpable. In tears, she said that she never wanted to see all these people again.

After the first conversation, the woman refused further help and returned to her husband. On the surface, she was strong and showed no emotion. The armor she had developed over 60 years offered her protection. After all this time, she could no longer start a new life. Our experts also had to accept this.

This story leaves many questions unanswered. Why did the family and the environment tolerate this situation? Would official bodies have had the opportunity to offer help earlier? And what does it take to prevent such cases from happening again?

Istanbul Convention
There is no shortage of instruments to combat violence against women and domestic violence. The Istanbul Convention, the most comprehensive international agreement aimed at combating this form of human rights violation, has been in force in Switzerland since 2018. The Confederation and the cantons have a duty to become active in the prevention of violence, victim protection and criminal prosecution and to coordinate their measures.

How is the convention implemented?
What experiences have our network partners had in implementing the Istanbul Convention? Where is progress being made and where is there a need for action? Alexa Ferel, Head of the Basel-Landschaft Domestic Violence Intervention Center, provides answers to these questions. Click here for the interview: What are the benefits of the Istanbul Convention?

And Sonja Roest, Head of the “Protection against Violence and Victim Support” department, explains how the protection against violence and support for victims in Basel-Stadt is constantly improving, including with the threat management program launched in March 2023. Click here for the text: “Protection against violence and victim support”: New name and new tasks

What can the Istanbul Convention achieve in concrete terms?

Anyone who has been confronted with a specific case of decades-long domestic violence wonders whether the Istanbul Convention can prevent such suffering. Alexa Ferel from the Basel-Landschaft Domestic Violence Intervention Center puts things into perspective.

Ms. Ferel, would the Istanbul Convention make it easier to prevent cases like that of the 80-year-old woman?

Alexa Ferel: Yes. If we work in a network, we can better protect those affected by violence and their children. The 80-year-old woman’s long history of violence is naturally very upsetting. Especially when we realize that the three children had to grow up in an environment of fear and terror as witnesses to the violence and that this violence also left its mark on the children.

Even today, it can happen that those affected remain silent out of shame or that those around them look the other way because they are overwhelmed. However, I assume that society as a whole is now better sensitized and more able to look and offer support. But this always requires courage. And it is up to us professionals, specialist agencies and authorities to ensure that the support services are really known and available.

What is the importance of hospitals?

Even today, hospitals are often the first port of call for injured people. The medical staff there have the important task of recognizing domestic violence, carefully addressing it and providing support, i.e. taking a networked approach. Of course, official authorities can only intervene if they are aware of it – so it is all the more important that those affected and those around them know where help is available and then also have the courage and confidence to talk about the violence.

Domestic violence is still taboo. What can be done about it?

We certainly need to further remove the taboo surrounding domestic violence. And we have to keep pointing out that there is help for those affected. That those affected – or neighbors and family members – can call the police. That there is support for victim assistance and shelters. We must also really stand by those affected. Even if the solution to a violent relationship may not succeed the first time and a second or third attempt is necessary. We also need to take the perspective of the children affected even more strongly and provide them with support quickly and in an age-appropriate manner. And we must also always focus on the perpetrators – working with perpetrators is simply a must, preferably in the form of a structured learning program against domestic violence, as we have been offering for many years.

Further information

Overview of the Istanbul Convention of the Swiss Confederation. Offices for the equality of women and men

Information on the learning programs against domestic violence of the Canton of Basel-Landschaft