Fair and Appropriate? FAIRCOM Report part II Fair and Appropriate? Compensation of Victims of Sexual Violence in EU Member States: Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands and Spain Part II: State and Offender Compensation: Survey, Good Practices and Recommendations 1 November 2020 - o f f m e e t i i Project Partners - o f f m e e t i n g S e p t e m b e ii r The content of this report represents the views of the authors only and is their sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains. 3 Fair and Appropriate? FAIRCOM Report part II Authors Nieke Elbers,1 Arno Akkermans,1 Helena Soleto Muñoz,2 Anna Fiodorova,2 Aurea Grané,2 Josep Maria Tamarit,3 Laura Arantegui,3 Patrizia Patrizi,4 Gian Luigi Lepri,4 Ernesto Lodi,4 Doriana Chirico,4 Iluta Lāce,5 Lelde Vaivode,5 Juris Dilba,5 Antonia Brekasi,6 Nancy Zoidou Saripapa,6 Nicholas Spetsidis6 1 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) - The Netherlands 2 University Carlos III of Madrid (UC3M) - Spain 3 Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) - Spain 4 University of Sassari (UNISS) - Italy 5 Association Marta Centre (MARTA) - Latvia 6 Union of Women Associations of Heraklion Prefecture (UWAH) – Greece https://sexualviolencejustice.eu iii Table of Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Vulnerability of victims of sexual crimes ................................................................ 1 1.2. The importance of fair and appropriate compensation ............................................. 3 1.3. European legislation and policy ............................................................................... 4 1.4. EU Strategy on victims’ rights 2020-2025 ............................................................... 6 1.5. This FAIRCOM Report Part II................................................................................. 7 2. Obligations of EU member states ..................................................................................... 9 2.1. Overview of legal instruments ................................................................................. 9 2.2. EU Compensation Directive of 2004 ..................................................................... 11 2.3. Council of Europe Istanbul Convention of 2011 ................................................... 12 2.4. EU Victims’ Rights Directive of 2012 ................................................................... 13 3. Method ........................................................................................................................... 17 3.1. Desk research ......................................................................................................... 17 3.2. Workshops .............................................................................................................. 17 4. Results ............................................................................................................................ 19 4.1. Desk research ......................................................................................................... 19 4.1.1. Offender compensation ............................................................................................................... 19 4.1.2. State compensation ...................................................................................................................... 24 4.2. Workshops .............................................................................................................. 31 4.2.1. Greece ......................................................................................................................................... 31 4.2.2. Italy ............................................................................................................................................. 35 4.2.3. Latvia .......................................................................................................................................... 41 4.2.4. Spain............................................................................................................................................ 48 4.2.5. The Netherlands .......................................................................................................................... 55 5. Discussion .......................................................................................................................... 60 5.1. Offender compensation ................................................................................................ 60 5.2. State compensation ...................................................................................................... 61 5.3. Other topics.................................................................................................................. 62 6. Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 65 6.1. Offender compensation ................................................................................................ 65 6.2. State compensation ...................................................................................................... 65 References .............................................................................................................................. 67 Appendix 1 - Questions regarding compensation at the EU justice portal ......................... 69 Appendix 2 – Overview of information on offender compensation ................................... 71 Appendix 3 - Overview of information on state compensation .......................................... 78 Appendix 4 – Fact sheet ..................................................................................................... 89 v 1. Introduction 1.1. Vulnerability of victims of sexual crimes The last 20 years, victims of crime have received increased attention in the criminal trial process. Various EU legislation, in specific the Victims’ Rights Directive 2012/29/EU,1 has established important victims’ rights, such as the right to receive information, respectful treatment, legal support, victim support and compensation. Most EU member states have implemented the legislation and the position of victims has clearly been strengthened. Now that victims of crime are in the spotlight, it is a good opportunity to also focus on specific vulnerable groups of victims in criminal law: victims of sexual crimes. Victims of sexual crimes require special attention for several reasons. Firstly, the scale in which sexual violence occurs is significant: according to a report of the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), it is estimated that 3.7 million women in the EU are subjected to sexual violence every year.2 In total 11% of women have experienced some form of sexual violence since they were 15 years old. 5% of women have been raped since the age of 15.3 The FRA did not include sexual violence to men. What is known about men is that 10% of victims of violent sexual crimes are men, the majority (90%) of the victims are women.4 Of the perpetrators, 99% are men, 1% are women.5 Secondly, victims of sexual crimes need support in their search for justice. Only 14% of victims of sexual violence report their offense to the police.6 Sexual crimes are often associated with shame and stigma and often mentioned in relation to secondary victimisation. About 25% of victims of sexual crimes do not dare to report the crime because of shame and 12% does not report because they think they will not be believed. Victims of physical violence also do not report because of shame or not being believed but the percentages are much lower, respectively 8% and 2%.7 Of the victims of sexual crimes who report to the police, about 46% are not satisfied with the treatment received by the police.8 Reporting rates seem to vary hugely between countries. According to Eurostat, the number of sexual violence offences - relative to the population - is highest in Sweden, with 178 violent sexual crimes per 100 000 inhabitants, ahead of Scotland (163), Northern Ireland (156), England & Wales (113) and Belgium (91). For rapes, the highest rates were recorded in England & Wales (62 rapes per 100 000 inhabitants) and in Sweden (57). The rape statistics 1 Directive 2012/29/EU establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, OJ 2012, L 315/57, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2012/29/oj 2 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) (2014). Violence against women: an EU-wide survey. Main results report. See https://fra.europa.eu/en/data-and-maps/violence-against-women- survey/survey-information. 3 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), 2014. 4 Eurostat, see https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/EDN-20171123- 1?inheritRedirect=true 5 Eurostat, see https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/EDN-20171123- 1?inheritRedirect=true 6 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), 2014. 7 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), 2014. 8 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), 2014. 1 Fair and Appropriate? FAIRCOM Report part II for the countries participating in the FAIRCOM project were from high to low: The Netherlands (10), Latvia (8), Spain (3), Greece (1) and Italy (0 per 100 000 inhabitants). For Italy, it should be noted that the law talks about sexual violence