investigation and in the corresponding administrative proceedings, leading to the dismissal of the charges in a large percentage of cases,” as well as the “unjustified postponement of hearings [...] and the loss of prosecutorial and judicial files.” Another constant irregularity that has been indicated is that during the procedure for receiving reports, women are required to submit psychological, psychiatric, and social reports on their personal status as a requirement for following up on the complaint. They may also be subjected to “invasive, accusatory and improper investigation in an environment that is neither safe nor confidential,” and they encounter officials who “ignore the complaints because they consider them trivial and outside of their authority” and healthcare personnel “that do not fully understand their key role when providing necessary medical services such as documenting the consequences of the violence.”209 152. The Follow-up Mechanism of the Convention of Belém do Pará of the OAS has found a “lack of a state policy to educate and train the officials in charge of accepting and processing the complaints,” encouraging the State to make “a systematic effort for short and long term results, with an extended coverage that goes beyond awareness raising and training, is needed, including the design and enforcement of care protocols for women and girls who are victims of violence and thereby avoid a second victimization.”210 153. More recently, a range of international agencies of the United Nations have continued to express concern over the worsening situation of violence against women in Venezuela and impunity rates. In 2014, both the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women211 and the United Nations Committee against Torture made observations on this matter. 212 In 2015, the ESCR Committee also reiterated its concern over this situation, in particular due to “the low number of investigations and convictions in cases of violence against women,” indicating that the country still does not have a “national strategy for preventing domestic violence and gender-based violence.”213 154. The Commission will take into account this information at the time to formulate the recommendations in this report. 209 Observatorio Venezolano de los Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres. Alternative report in response to the list of questions from the CEDAW Committee regarding the combined seventh and eighth periodic reports of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Caracas, Augusto 15, 2014, pg. 5. Available at: http://issuu.com/ddhhcofavic/docs/informe_sombra_2014_observatorio_ve/1; Annex 108. Observatorio Venezolano de los Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres. CEDAW Shadow Report 2009. Evaluation of the situation of violence against women in light of the concluding observations of the Committee for the Elimination of Violence against Women on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in its 34th period of sessions. July 2009; Observatorio Venezolano sobre los derechos de las mujeres. Informe sobre violencia contra las mujeres en Venezuela. 2010; and Observatorio Venezolano sobre los derechos de las mujeres. Report on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela - Twelfth Universal Periodic Exam Session - October 2011 (2007-2010). Documents in Annex “00 Contexto” of the brief from the petitioners, June 20, 2014. 210 Annex 106. Commission of Women of the Organization of American States. Follow-up Mechanism. Convention of Belém do Pará (MESECVI). Second Conference of States Parties. OEA/Ser.L/II.7.10 MESECVI-II/doc.46/08. June 25, 2008, pg. 21. Annex “00 Contexto 2008 06 25 CIM VZ Evaluacion Implementación Belem Do Pará” of the brief from the petitioners, June 20, 2014. 211 United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Concluding observations on the combined seventh and eighth periodic reports of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. CEDAW/C/VEN/CO/7-8. November 14, 2014. Available at: http://acnudh.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/N1462775.pdf The Committee expressed deep concern because it considered the situation of violence against women and girls in Venezuela to be “ widespread and on the rise,” and due to the “the lack of effective access to justice for all women victims of violence throughout the territory [...] as a result of the insufficient structures and inadequate functioning of the justice system, in particular considering the low number of cases prosecuted [...];” and also “the lack of effective mechanisms in place to design, implement and monitor the relevant policies and programmes.” In that context, in its review of Venezuela this year, the Committee highlighted the persistent absence of a disaggregated database on this issue. 212 United Nations Committee against Torture Concluding observations on the third and fourth periodic reports of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Advanced unedited version. November 19, 2014, para. 17. Available in Spanish at: http://acnudh.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/CAT-Venezuela.pdf The Committee noted that “[...] despite a steady increase in the number of cases of violence against women, in particular femicide, and the large number of complaints, the percentage of cases in which charges are brought by the Public Prosecution Service is low and the application of protection measures insufficient. The Committee is also concerned about the small number of shelters and the lack of information on the provision of assistance and full redress to victims.” 213 United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights. Concluding observations on the third periodic report of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. E/C.12/VEN/CO/3. June 19, 2015. Available in Spanish at: http://acnudh.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/06/INT_CESCR_COC_VEN-.pdf