A sharp fall in rates of domestic violence across Commonwealth states is eminently achievable, said Patricia Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth. “I know it’s possible because I’ve seen it happen,” she said in an interview with The Hindu on International Women’s Day, ahead of the launch of the Commonwealth’s Peace in the Home initiative targeted at reducing domestic violence across member-states by double-digit percentages.
Baroness Scotland pointed to the progress that had been made in the U.K. between 2003 and 2010, which had reduced rates of domestic violence by 64%. “Anything the U.K. can do, the other 51 countries can do. If we pool our resources, our knowledge of what works and what doesn’t work, we can make a real difference.” The U.N. estimates that around one in three women has been the subject of domestic violence of one form or another.
Alongside initiatives — that include a tool-kit to help governments and other sectors work together on tackling domestic violence — the Commonwealth will also conduct research on the economic costs of domestic violence, which “disproportionately” impacts women, she said, arguing that this would help take focus away from concerns that cash-strapped governments might have about costs of anti-domestic violence initiatives. “These people who are suffering will have to go to hospital... they may not do so well at school — you can see how it impacts businesses... it’s a cost to the whole economy. The question so many governments are asking is: I have no money, how can I do this? And we are saying: let’s not look at how much you need to spend, let’s look at how much you are already spending.”
Campaign centrepieces
Among the things that will form a centrepiece of the campaign is a “bench book” targeted at helping judges put national laws on domestic violence in the context of international human rights legislation — already trialled in East Africa. Targeted versions for regions across the Commonwealth, including Asia, would be rolled out, she said. “Judges have said... it gives them continuity and information... all our countries are common law countries and our judges are trained in similar ways, we interpret laws similarly, our parliamentary structures are similar, if we can work out what works for one of us, it’s highly likely it will work for the rest of us.”
The Commonwealth already has one that helps medical practitioners identify the signals of domestic violence, but hope to generate greater awareness and use of it.. “I have spoken to so many leaders and so many ministers in government and this issue about violence is also an issue about our children: it’s affecting millions and millions of children. If we can let our children see that violence should be the last port of call for dispute resolution and not the first we will do an amazing amount to ending violence in our world.”
