A/CONF. 187/12 V. Module 4: Research and polic operate in a manner similar to that of the International Issues Crime(Victim) Survey, using statistically representative samples, astandardized questionnaire and the same metho- 33. There has been an exponential growth in the number dology in all participating countries of studies on violence against women over the last dee 36. National surveys on violence against women, based Global concern with violence against women has resulted on interviews of a representative sample of the female in broader international recognition of the need for population, have been carried out in several countries and importance of gender-sensitive and gender-balanced The primary focus of the surveys is the measurement of research approaches. The situation of women with respect physical and sexual violence experienced by women; how- to transnational organized crime has not been given similar ever, data on women and transnational crime are lacking attention in terms of research; consequently, there is a lack the surveys of comparative data in this area. There is also a need for 37. Basic research on prevalence gives vital information, gender-sensitive research to evaluate the role and the but what is also needed is innovative methods for provi- extent of this phenomenon and to prompt reform in law- ding information on the everyday experiences of women in making, policy-making and decision-making connection with crime and the criminal justice system, that 4. Violence against women can be measured in different is, a womans viewpoint of the research. In particular the ways. There are limitations to official statistics. Crimes multiple forms of transnational crime are difficult to study recorded by the police take account of only those events using traditional methods. There is a need to combine which have come to the attention of the police and which quantitative and qualitative research to compare informa- the police have classified as offences. There are several tion from several official and unofficial sources and to reasons why crimes are not reported to the police and why compare information at the national, regional and global the police do not record them. Victims of violence against levels. There is also a great need for data that can shed women may feel shame and guilt and, in many cases, want light on all sides of the problem: operational data can assist to hide the problem from their neighbours, relatives and in detecting crime and patterns in crime; disaggregate others, especially if the abuser is a partner, relative or research data can show different patterns between women friend.Victims may also be threatened about reporting the and men; and victim surveys, and especially booster offence to authorities, or there might be economic samples, can bring to light crime rates never shown in consequences if the partner who might also be the main official statistics breadwinner of the family is convicted( fines are paid from 38. Gauging the nature and extent of gender balance the family budget, and imprisonment may lower the family within a particular criminal justice system would require acome). Police officers might regard the situation as an the development of multiple direct and indirect indices dinary family dispute that does not need to be recorded and, above all, more sophisticated methodologies for the as a crime. For these reasons, many violent acts against collection and analysis of information on trafficking in women do not come to the attention of the authorities. The women number of unrecorded crimes involving violence against women is high 39. It is difficult to measure the phenomenon of traf- ficking in women. It appears that trafficking issues are 35. National victim surveys include questions on physical mostly dealt with in media reports, while scientific infor and sexual violence against women. Findings suggest that mation on the subject is scarce and rarely reliable. No there are grounds to claim that both reporting in a survey accurate statistics are currently available on the magnitude and reporting to the police undercut the true extent of of trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants victimization of women. General victimization surveys It has been argued that reasons for this include the fol- have not been able to provide reliable information on lowing: different countries and international agencies use specific characteristics of violence experienced by women. different definitions of smuggling and trafficking; it is The results of national studies on violence against women likely that the majority of people who are smuggled or are hard to compare because the methods of data collection trafficked are never detected by immigration authorities and the survey questions are different. In order to collect there are no systems for collecting data on people who are comparable data, an international survey on violence apprehended and/or rejected at airports; and there is against women would be appropriate. The survey would incentive for apprehended illegal migrants to divulgeA/CONF.187/12 8 V. Module 4: Research and policy issues 33. There has been an exponential growth in the number of studies on violence against women over the last decade. Global concern with violence against women has resulted in broader international recognition of the need for and importance of gender-sensitive and gender-balanced research approaches. The situation of women with respect to transnational organized crime has not been given similar attention in terms of research; consequently, there is a lack of comparative data in this area. There is also a need for gender-sensitive research to evaluate the role and the extent of this phenomenon and to prompt reform in law￾making, policy-making and decision-making. 34. Violence against women can be measured in different ways. There are limitations to official statistics. Crimes recorded by the police take account of only those events which have come to the attention of the police and which the police have classified as offences. There are several reasons why crimes are not reported to the police and why the police do not record them. Victims of violence against women may feel shame and guilt and, in many cases, want to hide the problem from their neighbours, relatives and others, especially if the abuser is a partner, relative or friend. Victims may also be threatened about reporting the offence to authorities, or there might be economic consequences if the partner who might also be the main breadwinner of the family is convicted (fines are paid from the family budget, and imprisonment may lower the family income). Police officers might regard the situation as an ordinary family dispute that does not need to be recorded as a crime. For these reasons, many violent acts against women do not come to the attention of the authorities. The number of unrecorded crimes involving violence against women is high. 35. National victim surveys include questions on physical and sexual violence against women. Findings suggest that there are grounds to claim that both reporting in a survey and reporting to the police undercut the true extent of victimization of women. General victimization surveys have not been able to provide reliable information on specific characteristics of violence experienced by women. The results of national studies on violence against women are hard to compare because the methods of data collection and the survey questions are different. In order to collect comparable data, an international survey on violence against women would be appropriate. The survey would operate in a manner similar to that of the International Crime (Victim) Survey, using statistically representative samples, a standardized questionnaire and the same metho￾dology in all participating countries. 36. National surveys on violence against women, based on interviews of a representative sample of the female population, have been carried out in several countries.17 The primary focus of the surveys is the measurement of physical and sexual violence experienced by women; how￾ever, data on women and transnational crime are lacking in the surveys. 37. Basic research on prevalence gives vital information, but what is also needed is innovative methods for provi￾ding information on the everyday experiences of women in connection with crime and the criminal justice system, that is, a woman’s viewpoint of the research. In particular the multiple forms of transnational crime are difficult to study using traditional methods. There is a need to combine quantitative and qualitative research to compare informa￾tion from several official and unofficial sources and to compare information at the national, regional and global levels. There is also a great need for data that can shed light on all sides of the problem: operational data can assist in detecting crime and patterns in crime; disaggregated research data can show different patterns between women and men; and victim surveys, and especially booster samples, can bring to light crime rates never shown in official statistics. 38. Gauging the nature and extent of gender balance within a particular criminal justice system would require the development of multiple direct and indirect indices and, above all, more sophisticated methodologies for the collection and analysis of information on trafficking in women. 39. It is difficult to measure the phenomenon of traf￾ficking in women. It appears that trafficking issues are mostly dealt with in media reports, while scientific infor￾mation on the subject is scarce and rarely reliable. No accurate statistics are currently available on the magnitude of trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants. It has been argued that reasons for this include the fol￾lowing: different countries and international agencies use different definitions of smuggling and trafficking; it is likely that the majority of people who are smuggled or trafficked are never detected by immigration authorities; there are no systems for collecting data on people who are apprehended and/or rejected at airports; and there is no incentive for apprehended illegal migrants to divulge