Stronger protection for victims of violence, greater safeguards for those who report abuse, financial support to help victims rebuild independent lives and rehabilitation programmes for abusive men. These are some of the points contained in the motion approved today, Wednesday 14 October, by the Second and Fourth Council Committees, meeting in joint session, at the conclusion of a debate on gender-based and domestic violence in San Marino.
The text, presented by the majority and read out in the chamber by Guerrino Zanotti (Libera), sets out ten commitments addressed to the Congress of State. These are not measures that take immediate effect: for several of the proposed actions, the Government is asked to assess their feasibility and, where necessary, to prepare the relevant legislative and organisational changes.
The first area concerns prevention and the ability to recognise situations of violence or abuse at an early stage. The motion aims to strengthen the role of schools through education on respect, training for staff, and closer cooperation with families and social and health services. The goal is to pick up on warning signs before situations worsen.
One of the most significant passages concerns the protection of those who report suspected abuse. The committees are asking the Government to consider reinstating an explicit guarantee on the confidentiality of the reporting party’s identity, a provision already included in Article 19 of Law 97 of 2008. This issue particularly affects teachers, healthcare workers and other professionals who, in the course of their duties, may become aware of possible abuse and are required to report it. The aim is to strengthen safeguards for these individuals, so that fear of personal consequences does not discourage them from coming forward.
The motion also opens the door to expanding the cases in which justice can intervene even without a complaint from the victim. This is the issue of ex officio prosecution: for certain offences, the judicial authority can initiate or continue proceedings regardless of whether a formal complaint has been filed. The motion calls for an assessment of extending this mechanism to crimes of domestic and gender-based violence, to strengthen protection for those involved even when they are unable or unwilling to file a complaint.
Another section addresses the economic independence of victims, often a decisive factor in enabling them to leave a violent relationship.
The Government is committed to considering forms of financial support and microcredit tools – small loans that could help a person rebuild their independence. Alongside this, it is asked to facilitate access to independent housing once the initial period in protected shelters has ended.
The document also addresses how the network of services operates. In particular, it calls for an assessment of strengthening the listening centre for victims of gender-based violence, checking whether additional staff and specific expertise are needed, especially in psychological and social support. This refers to the coordination system introduced by Delegated Decree 161 of 2024, which assigns this responsibility to the director of the Territorial Social and Health Department.
The motion also envisages a possible strengthening of shared information tools between services, to track victims’ pathways and verify whether the measures put in place are actually working.
Among the proposals is also the creation of an impartial figure, modelled on the ombudsman, tasked with listening, guidance and support in managing family conflicts. Such a figure would aim, where possible, to favour solutions outside the courtroom, while respecting the competencies of existing services and ensuring protection for vulnerable individuals. Here too, this remains a proposal to be evaluated, not a body that has already been established.
A specific point is dedicated to perpetrators and potential perpetrators of violence. The committees are calling for support for treatment and prevention programmes aimed at these individuals, including through agreements with qualified local associations and by considering forms of public funding. The goal is to also address the behaviour of those who commit violence, complementing victim protection with tools to reduce the risk of repeat offences.
The document draws on data examined during the committee proceedings, relating to the 2022–2026 criminal report and to reports and cases handled by the Mental Health and Child Protection services, updated respectively to 31 December 2025 and 30 June 2026. According to the committees, these figures confirm the scale of the phenomenon and the significant involvement of women and minors.
The political debate will not end with today’s vote. The final commitment calls for a new joint session of the Second and Fourth Committees by 28 February 2027, including a hearing with the Equal Opportunities Authority, following the presentation of its annual report scheduled for 25 November.
This will be an opportunity to revisit updated data and further examine measures to combat gender-based violence. The next step now falls to the Congress of State, which must follow up on the approved guidelines, distinguishing between measures ready for implementation and proposals that will require further assessment.
