Covid-19: Swiss take part in EU domestic violence discussions
Interior Minister Alain Berset speaks to Franziska Giffey, German Federal Minister for Family Affairs, during an informal meeting of EU Gender Equality Ministers on Friday
Keystone / Alessandro Della Valle
Ministers, including from Switzerland, have been holding online talks on preventing domestic violence against women, which has been on the rise since the start of Covid-19 pandemic.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/Interior Ministry/swissinfo.ch/ilj
Interior Minister Alain Berset took part in the European Union Conference on Gender Equality, held by videoconference, at the invitation of Germany, which is holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Switzerland is not a member of the EU.
The government and the cantons launched a special task force against domestic violence in March. The coronavirus pandemic has increased the risk factors that lead to domestic violence such as stopping people from leaving the house and increased financial concerns as the economy suffers, the statement said.
“Domestic violence has to be fought consistently and if someone is violent, they have to face the consequences, even and especially during times of crisis,” Berset was quoted as saying.
The meeting debated setting up a Europe-wide domestic violence helpline number, a move that was endorsed by the majority of equality ministers from EU and EFTA countries, a conference communique said.External link
On the rise
Swiss police registered 19,669 cases of domestic violence in 2019, up 6.2% on the previous year.
Twenty-nine people died in Switzerland in 2019 as a result of domestic violence. This means that two- thirds of all homicides last year were the result of abuse by a partner.
While statistics for 2020 are not yet available, victim support groups have already raised fears that domestic violence may have increased, especially during the spring coronavirus lockdown.
More
More
Demographics
Coronavirus is a nightmare for domestic violence victims
This content was published on
Isolation in time of coronavirus also leaves more leeway for violent spouses. Victim support organisations are concerned.
Demonstrators in Swiss capital demand better access to mental health care
This content was published on
Thousands of people demonstrated in Berne on Saturday afternoon against long waiting lists, the lack of therapy places and the absence of a clear pricing structure.
This content was published on
Swiss companies' expectations for salary growth are down by 0.3 percentage points compared to a year ago, according to a survey conducted by the Center for Economic Research (KOF).
One Swiss national killed in plane accident in southern France
This content was published on
A Swiss national was killed alongside a German national in a crash involving two light aircraft on Saturday afternoon in Saint-Pons, south-eastern France.
Over 6,000 apprenticeships remain unfilled in Switzerland
This content was published on
By mid-August, which is the start of the Swiss school year, some 6,400 apprenticeship vacancies remain, mainly in the construction, catering and machinery industries.
Japanese film Tabi to Hibi wins Golden Leopard at Locarno
This content was published on
The Japanese film Tabi to Hibi by director Sho Miyake won the Golden Leopard, the top prize in the international competition, on the final day of the Locarno Festival.
Switzerland could produce up to 5Mt of emissions annually by 2050
This content was published on
Two to five megatonnes of CO2 equivalents per year: this is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that Switzerland is still expected to produce annually in 2050, a new study shows.
US tariffs putting 100,000 jobs at risk in Switzerland
This content was published on
US tariffs of 39% on Swiss imports will directly affect 100,000 jobs, mainly in the watchmaking, machinery, metals, and food industries, economiesuisse warns.
This content was published on
Switzerland has released CHF4 million (nearly $5 million) to help Sudan, which has been severely affected by famine and cholera.
Switzerland rejects new Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory
This content was published on
Switzerland says it rejects the announced construction of thousands of housing units in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian West Bank.
Larry Finck and André Hoffmann named interim co-chairs of WEF board
This content was published on
The WEF also revealed an investigation commissioned by the board has cleared its founder Klaus Schwab and his wife of accusations made by anonymous whistleblowers.
Lack of outdoor space inflamed family tensions during lockdown
This content was published on
Families without a garden or large balcony experienced more stress during the partial lockdown than families with such a space.
Coronavirus confinement leaves most Swiss stressed
This content was published on
Confinement measures left one in two people feeling more stressed than before, according to a survey conducted by the University of Basel.
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.