Administrative Data Sources on Gender-Based Violence in the European Union

WUNRN

Based on the results from the study “Mapping the current status and potential of administrative sources of data on gender-based violence in the EU”, an online ‘mapping tool’ has been developed.

This tool provides information on the current status of the main administrative data sources and statistical products containing data on GBV at EU-level (data collected in 2013).

The aim of the ’online mapping tool’ is to contribute to the efforts at EU-level for the collection of comparable data on different types of violence against women across the EU-28. to The information will help to ascertain the real extent of the phenomenon of GBV in the European Union and support the Member States in identifying appropriate solutions to the problem.

Background Information

The study “Mapping the current status and potential of administrative sources of data on gender-based violence in the EU” identifies and analyses administrative data sources on gender-based violence and subsequent statistical products across the EU (data mapped in 2013).

Administrative data can provide detailed information on how judicial, police, health and social protection services respond (or do not respond) to the demands of victims of GBV. The response may be assistance in seeking justice, obtaining medical care, counselling, housing or other support; as well as how they deal with and respond to perpetrators, dependents, and witnesses. In this sense, administrative data sources reflect only what is recorded by an agency interacting with a victim or perpetrator of gender-based violence.

The availability of this data in all Member States makes administrative data providers a valuable source of information to be assessed for collecting comparable data on GBV in EU.

Therefore, this mapping tool aims to support the urgent task in EU-28 of collecting comparable and harmonised data on GBV, by providing detailed information to the users:

To know the current status of administrative data in EU and
To assess the potential use of administrative data for obtaining comparable data on GBV at EU level,

without forgetting the limitations of this type of data source, the main one being the fact that they do not reflect the prevalence of GBV, due to underreported gender-based violence incidents.

Methodology

The information provided through the ‘online mapping tool’ has been developed based on the following steps and criteria:

A review of existing information and publications on administrative data collection on gender-based violence at international, European Union and national level (EU-28).

Carrying out more than 150 in-depth interviews with national stakeholders involved in or knowledgeable of administrative data collection with regards to gender-based violence.

Identification and compilation of information across the European Union related to:

Administrative data sources
Statistical products

Description of each administrative data source and statistical product by national researchers.

Compilation of information in 28 national reports detailing the status of administrative data sources and statistical products on gender-based violence in each EU Member State.

Types of Gender-Based Violence

The online tool and databases produced from the study are focused in five types of gender-based violence, defined as follow:

Sexual Violence

(outside intimate relationships), including:

Sexual Assault (excluding rape)

These acts refer to any sexual act committed against non-consenting women, even if they do not show signs of resistance, with the exception of rape/penetration]

Rape

Any act of sexual penetration, of whatever kind and by whatever means, of a woman’s body by the use of violence and threats or by trickery or artifice or by taking advantage of a woman who is not in a position to give free consent or to offer resistance and regardless of whether that person shows signs of resistance .

Sexual Harassment

Unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature, violating the victim’s dignity and creating a hostile environment. Acts are inclusive of, but not limited to, vulgar actions, requesting sexual favours, threatening or forcing with the purpose of gaining sexual satisfaction, forcibly imposed sexual intimacy. Sexual harassment is an action which the offender knows, or ought to know, will constitute harassment.

Intimate Partner Violence

All acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim. These include, but are not restricted to, domestic violence.

Stalking

Seeking the proximity of the victim with serious detriment to the person’s lifestyle and causing, indirectly, directly or virtually, distress, fear or harm in the targeted person. This can be done in particular by trying to establish contact by any means, misusing the victim’s personal data for the purpose of ordering goods or services or causing third persons to make contact, threatening the victim or someone close to the victim.

In addition, an evidence review and expert meeting with academics, national stakeholders and representatives from international organisations working on this field were organised.

Administrative data sources & statistical products: Online mapping tool

Based on the study “Mapping the current status and potential of administrative sources of data on gender-based violence in the EU”, the ’online mapping tool’ shows in detail the information collected from the study in an user- friendly way.

The mapping enables you to identify the current status of administrative data sources related to GBV in all EU and in each Member State according to the type of GBV and the sector where the source is located: police, justice, health, social protection services and other related institutions (i.e. CSOs).
In an advanced search, the results can be filtered by the type of data the administrative source is recording (on victim, perpetrator, witness, incident, prosecution process, and outcome).
Both search tools contribute to assess the potential use of administrative data for measuring GBV in the EU.

Up to 144 administrative data sources on GBV in the EU-28 Member States can be consulted.

The specific page reffering to the source shows detailed information on:

the type of data available in that source,
the main characteristics of the administrative source,
the collection process
information related to the quality of data recorded, and
other relevant information, such as the organisation in charge of the data source and the link to their website.

With respect to the statistical products on GBV in the EU-28 Member States, there are 90 statistical products available to consult.

In the page of the statistical product it can be found relevant information about:

the content included in the product (information on victim, perpetrator, incident, etc.)
the quality process
the main characteristics of that product, among other interesting information, for instance, their link with available administrative data sources from which they compile data, or the website where the statistical product can be found.