View article

Violence against women is the most common form of violation of women’s rights [1]. The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention)[2] is based on the understanding that violence against women is a form of gender-based violence that is committed against women because they are women. According to the World Health Organization data, it is estimated that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lives, while some national studies show that up to 70% of women have experienced it [3]. According to the Annual Report for 2018 of the Ombudsperson for Gender Equality of the Republic of Croatia, and according to data provided by the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, in 2018 78% out of 10, 272 persons reported for domestic violence were men [4]. It is the obligation of the state to fully address this problem in all its forms and to take measures to prevent violence against women, protect the victims and prosecute the perpetrators. In Croatia in 2018 the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, which primary goal is to improve and enhance mechanisms for the protection of women victims of violence, provoked strong reactions and discussion among citizens. The media had a key role in informing citizens about the Convention and generally about the issue of protecting the women’s rights, and in forming the public opinion about the role and the consequences of the Convention. By designing and framing the published information, media can influence public awareness in a positive or …