Table A C.1. Key terms and definitions used in this report
Term
Definition
Domestic violence (DV)
“All acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm that occurs 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 person experiencing violence” (Council of Europe, 2011[1]). In lay terms, domestic violence is broader than intimate partner violence as it may involve non-partner offenders and victims (e.g. fathers, uncles, brothers).
Gender-based violence (GBV)
“Any type of harm that is perpetrated against a person or group of people because of their factual or perceived sex, gender, sexual orientation and/gender identityor (Council of Europe, 2022[2])”. Statistically, gender-based violence is most commonly carried out by self-identified men against self-identified women.
Intimate partner violence (IPV)
“Any act of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occurs between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared the same residence with the victim.” (EIGE, 2022[3])
Istanbul Convention
Shorthand name for the landmark 2011 Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (CETS No. 210). This enabled the creation of a legal framework at the pan-European level to protect women against all forms of violence, and prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence.
Multi‑agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)
Regular meetings which bring together professionals and service providers from different sectors (e.g. police, health care, child services) to discuss individual-high risk cases of IPV. Also known as case conferences.
Victim/survivor
The terms survivor and victim are often used interchangeable to refer to a person (typically a woman) who has experienced violence. “Victim” is the more conventionally-used term, especially in the immediate aftermath of violence, while “survivor” is increasingly used by advocates to reframe women’s agency during the recovery process (see for example www.rainn.org and www.efjca.eu). To be more inclusive of these diverse perspectives, both terms are used in this report.
