2.

Proposes a new comprehensive policy approach against gender-based violence including: — a criminal-law instrument in the form of a directive against gender-based violence, — measures to address the ‘six-P’ framework on violence against women (policy, prevention, protection, prosecution, provision, and partnership), — demands on Member States to ensure that perpetrators are punished in accordance with the gravity of the crime, — demands on Member States to ensure training for officials likely to come into contact with cases of violence against women – including law enforcement, social welfare, child welfare, healthcare and emergency centre staff – in order to detect, identify and properly deal with such cases, with a special focus on the needs and rights of victims, — requirements for Member States to demonstrate due diligence and to record and investigate all forms of gender-based violence crimes in order to initiate public prosecution, — plans to develop specific investigative routines for police and health sector professionals in order to secure evidence of gender-based violence, — the creation of partnerships with higher education institutions with a view to providing training courses on gender-based violence for professionals in the relevant fields, especially judges, criminal police officials, health and education professionals and victim support staff, — policy proposals to help victims rebuild their lives, addressing the specific needs of different groups of victims such as minority women, in addition to ensuring their safety and re-establishing their physical and psychological health, and measures encouraging the exchange of information and best practices on dealing with survivors of violence against women, — the integration of specific identification and diagnosis mechanisms within hospital emergency services and the primary care network, with a view to consolidating a more efficient access and monitoring system for the victims concerned, — demands on Member States to provide shelters for victims of gender-based violence in cooperation with relevant NGOs, — minimum requirements as to the number of victim support structures per 10 000 inhabitants for victims of gender-based violence in the form of centres with specific expertise to help victims, — the establishment of a European charter setting out a minimum level of assistance services to be offered to victims of violence against women, including: the right to legal aid; the creation of shelters to meet victims' needs for protection and temporary accommodation; urgent psychological aid services to be provided free of charge by specialists on a decentralised and accessible basis; and financial aid arrangements aimed at promoting victims' independence and facilitating their return to normal life and the world of work, — minimum standards to ensure that victims have professional support in the form of advice from a legal practitioner irrespective of their role in the criminal proceedings, — mechanisms to facilitate access to legal aid enabling victims to assert their rights throughout the Union, — plans to develop methodological guidelines and undertake new data collection efforts to obtain comparable statistical data on gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation, in order to identify the extent of the problem and to provide a basis for a change in action towards the problem, — the establishment, in the next five years, of a European Year Against Violence Against Women with the aim of raising awareness among European citizens, — demands on the Commission and Member States to take appropriate measures on prevention, including awareness-raising campaigns, where relevant in cooperation with NGOs, — the implementation of measures in wage agreements and greater coordination between employers, trade unions and enterprises, as well as between their respective management bodies, in order to furnish victims with relevant information on their employment rights, — an increased number of courts specifically handling gender-based violence; more resources and training materials on gender-based violence for judges, public prosecutors and lawyers; and improvements to the specialist units in law enforcement bodies, by increasing their staff numbers and improving their training and equipment;