The Swiss government has given its approval for domestic violence offenders to be fitted with electronic wrist or ankle devices that monitor their movements.
The government said such a measureExternal link, along with other uses of electronic devices that have already proven successful in Spain, can “prevent repeat offenses and improve victims’ quality of life”.
Switzerland outlined its determination to offer better protection for the victims of domestic abuse and to tackle violence against women earlier this year.
Spain’s use of electronic tags to keep track of abusers, along with alarm devices for victims, was given a positive rating by a University of Bern study commissioned by the Swiss authorities.
On Friday, the government said that “the use of technology should always be part of the overall strategy” for tackling such violence. It welcomed a proposed cantonal pilot program to issue victims of domestic abuse with electronic alarm devices.
The legal basis for tagging offenders will come into force on January 1, 2022, as part of a wider law on protecting the victims of violence. Individual cantons are responsible for enforcing the measure when they deem it appropriate.
The government recommended that electronic solutions should be tailored to individual cases to increase their effectiveness. It also called on cantons and agencies to monitor and “deepen knowledge” of how such systems work in practice.
Last year, police recorded more than 46,000 violent crimes in Switzerland, including more than 20,000 domestic offences. Some 27,000 children and teenagers are affected by domestic violence every year.
Switzerland ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul ConventionExternal link) in 2018.
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
Swiss researchers develop new treatment against lymphoma
This content was published on
The cancer can be effectively combated with the radioactive element terbium. However, the therapy has not yet been tested on humans.
This content was published on
Florian Willet was present when the Sarco suicide capsule was first used in Switzerland in September 2024 and had been placed in pre-trial detention.
This content was published on
At the start of the 113th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Houngbo called for a "more efficient" organisation in front of the 187 member states
Microsoft invests $400 million in Swiss AI expansion
This content was published on
Among other things, the existing data centres in the Geneva and Zurich regions are being expanded as part of this investment.
This content was published on
This is the first study first to report a direct interaction between floating plastic debris in the atmosphere and any species.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Thousands of children witness domestic violence, warn papers
This content was published on
One in five children in Switzerland (21%) has witnessed scenes of domestic violence at home, sometimes with lasting consequences.
Switzerland lays out commitment to tackling violence against women
This content was published on
On average a woman dies every two-and-a-half weeks in Switzerland after being attacked. The numbers of reported domestic abuse cases have been rising for years, peaking at 20,123 last year. Some 27,000 children are also affected by domestic abuse each year, says the report. Switzerland’s first national report on violence against women is an important…
Guidelines presented to boost protection of victims of violence
This content was published on
A national conference attended by Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter is considering better protection for victims of violence in Switzerland.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.