112 GENDER PERSPECTIVES ON TORTURE: Law and Practice Diligence subject To Protect and Support women and girls affected by or at risk of FGM Article of the Convention Article 18: General Obligations State Obligations § 1: Take necessary legislative or other measures to protect victims from any further violence § 2: Take necessary legislative or other measures to ensure the provision of effective cooperation between all State agencies § 3: Ensure that measures: are based on gendered understanding of violence, focus on human rights of victim, are based on an integrated approach, aim at avoiding secondary victimisation, aim at empowering victims, allow for support services at same location, and address specific needs of vulnerable persons § 4: Ensure that provision of services does not depend on victim’s willingness to press charges or testify against perpetrator § 5: Take appropriate measures to provide con­ sular and other protection and support Article 20: General Support Services Provide for appropriate and accessible general support services (legal, psychological counseling, financial assistance, housing, education, training and assistance in finding employment) Article 22: Specialist Support Services Specialist services should complement general support services, run by specialized and expe­ rienced staff services Services should be available to all women, Article 4, § 3: Availability of services irrespective of legal status Article 19: Information Ensure that victims receive, in a language they understand, adequate and timely information Article 21: Assistance Ensure that victims have information on and in Individual/ access to individual/collective complaints Collective Complaints mechanisms and promote provision of assis­ tance in presenting such complaints Article 23: Shelters Establish shelters in sufficient numbers to pro­ vide safe accommodation and to proactively reach out to victims Article 24:Telephone helplines Provide round-the-clock free telephone help­ lines to give advice