32. Various steps had been taken to make women aware of the existing problem, to ensure their safety and to give assistance. Shelters and emergency helplines, which provided support and protection to victims, existed in many countries. Greater restrictions on access to weapons was being considered in some countries. Witness protection schemes using protective court orders had been introduced and were necessary for protecting, in particular, female victims of trafficking and rape during war. Multidisciplinary teams made up of medical doctors, social workers, psychologists, health workers, teachers, volunteers and non-governmental organizations were providing legal assistance and social services. The valuable assistance given by non-governmental organizations in providing legal and psychological counselling was acknowledged. 33. To raise public awareness and to break the silence and taboos surrounding violence, public awareness campaigns on the impact of violence were considered essential. Many community education campaigns were being carried out, aimed at changing community attitudes towards violence, introducing "zero tolerance" for violent behaviour, and promoting non-violent methods of conflict resolution. Teacher training and the development of curriculum material to address genderbased violence in schools were mentioned. Media campaigns could encourage women to file complaints instead of hiding the problem. At the same time, the portrayal of violence in the media perpetuated violence and continued to have negative effects, especially on children. 34. Many obstacles remained, and the gap between de jure and de facto implementation persisted, since most women seemed not to seek help from crisis services or the police, because of ignorance, fear or shame. Many women were not aware of existing laws or their rights and frequently had no access to the judicial system, especially if they were poor, illiterate or migrants. It was deplored that the real extent of violence against women remained hidden as well as unreported. Random surveys suggested that the extent of the problem was much greater than estimated. Consequently, it was difficult to design adequate policies and offer sufficient services to victims. The lack or inadequacy of data available made it difficult to assess the nature, severity and effects of violence against women and to better understand its causes. The academic community needed to conduct more research on the causes and consequences of violence against women and on the economic costs that accrued to countries because of such violence. It was regretted that there were so few impact studies on steps taken to combat violence against women. 35. With regard to the rehabilitation of perpetrators, programmes had been carried out in a number of countries, with varied success. Most programmes focused on the role of men, emphasizing positive new role models for men and new types of male/female relationships in the family. It was important to change patriarchal values and to create a non-violent culture. However, in view of the scarcity of funds, assistance to victims of violence had to be the priority and needed to be seen as a moral obligation. 36. Participants also recalled the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and stressed the need for concrete follow-up, including studies on the impact of measures to eliminate violence against women and to assist the victims, and it was proposed that mechanisms were needed to monitor follow-up on violence against women, including good practices. -70-