Statistical Data: Key to Addressing Violence Against Women in Latin America & Caribbean

I R E N E I R E N E C A S I Q U E C A S I Q U E R O D R G U E Z R O D R G U E Z R E G I O N A L C E N T E R F O R M U L T I D I S C I P L I N A R Y S T U D I E S R E G I O N A L C E N T E R F O R M U L T I D I S C I P L I N A R Y S T U D I E S O F T H E N A T I O N A L N A T I O N A L A U T O N O M O U S U N I V E R S I T Y O F A U T O N O M O U S U N I V E R S I T Y O F M E X I C O O F T H E M E X I C O i r e n e @ c o r r e o . c r i m . u n a m . m x i r e n e @ c o r r e o . c r i m . u n a m . m x

RELEVANCE OF STATISTICAL DATA ON VAW To make Violence Against Women visible and to draw attention to this problem. Making clear the cross-cutting nature of Violence Against Women. Response, prevention and eventual elimination of violence against women requires accurate and timely information of violence against women. To orient the actions of States and to design strategies and policies for tackling the problem.

DATA ON VAW IN LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN In LA & Caribbean 48% of countries have information about violence against women. Mexico appears as one of the most advanced in the region on this matter (Alm ras and Calder n, 2012). However, the existing information is insufficient and the data generated from various sources are inconsistent among themselves.

MAIN SOURCES OF DATA ON VAW ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS Non-Focused on VAW Focused on VAW SURVEYS Multipurpose vs Specialized Crime victimization vs Non-crime victimization Data through surveys and administrative records are not mutually exclusive; they should be complementary.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF DATA FROM ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES Inconsistency between data from different sources. Inadequate disaggregation of information (often not by sex). Capture only some expressions of VAW. Selectivity of data Do not provide prevalence data. Low cost. Usually pre-existing systems. Facilitate evaluation of services & programs.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF DATA FROM SURVEYS .Representative data. Specialized survey collects extensive and detailed information and allows to address ethical and safety issues. Characterization of the violent facts, victim, aggressor, and place. ONLY source that allows estimation of the magnitude of different types of VAW. . HIGH COST. . Inconsistency of data from different surveys. . Methodological differences in the development which hinder the comparability of the data.

DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED . Methodological changes from one survey to another that hamper the comparability of the data. Ethical dilemmas approaching survivors of violence. Importance of offering psychological support to the interviewers and reference to services to the interviewees (if needed/required).

CHALLENGES/OPPORTUNITIES Need to achieve comparability and complementarity between national administrative records and surveys International comparability of the data Data as fundamental input to public policies

ACCUMULATED LEARNINGS FROM PAST EXPERIENCES Sum of different actors and sectors of society in the task of generating information. Relevance of collecting information on various forms of violence against women (not only partner violence). Gathering representative information at national level and also representative of certain population subgroups (indigenous, migrants, poor, etc.).

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