A/HRC/30/70 inequalities and discrimination. It was also observed that violence against women was often exacerbated by poverty, lack of education, low levels of empowerment, and negative social attitudes and norms that tolerated such practices. A number of speakers noted that perpetrators of violence against women included State and non-State actors and that certain groups of women were more vulnerable to violence. These included lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and intersex women, rural women and incarcerated women. 24. Several States said that violence against women threatened economic prosperity and prevented the full participation of women in society, and that women should therefore be promoted and empowered within societies and countries in all areas of public life and in decision-making. Repeatedly emphasized was the importance of criminalizing violence against women, providing training for justice-sector officials, including prosecutors and the judiciary, providing victims with protection from reprisals by their families and communities when they reported cases of domestic violence, and making reparations for victims. 25. Several speakers raised the need for good practices on protection and prevention strategies against domestic violence, as well as the need to shift from a patriarchal culture to a culture of gender equality. The importance of countering victim shaming and blaming and empowering victims so they could break the cycle of violence, as well as the need for a targeted response to women from vulnerable groups, was also raised by several speakers. D. Concluding remarks by the panellists 26. The panellists highlighted the linkages between economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and domestic violence, and the importance of shifting the focus from awareness towards behavioural change. 27. They recommended that States adopt a transformative agenda which should be adequately budgeted and resourced to address the root causes of domestic violence such as poverty, lack of education, gender stereotypes, negative social attitudes and norms that tolerated violence. 28. Panellists agreed that to eliminate and prevent domestic violence effectively domestic violence in different contexts would need to be addressed, such as in conflict and disaster situations, among populations of refugees and internally displaced persons, and in the new forms of social media. They also said that domestic violence should be viewed as part of the continuum of violence that women experience throughout their life cycle. 29. Panellists agreed on the need for further research on the different manifestations of domestic violence, including on gender-related killing and the collection of disaggregated data. And in order have sustainable impact on addressing social and economic inequalities between men and women, panellists recommended that prevention strategies should be holistic and multisectoral, and that interventions should be mutually reinforcing. 30. Panellists noted that conflict settings exacerbated existing attitudes and behaviour that condoned violence against women and that accountability of State and non-State actors, even in conflict situations, was necessary to prevent domestic violence. Panellists called for support for States affected by conflict, in order to prevent and respond effectively to sexual violence. They also pointed to the need for continued gender mainstreaming in all policies and programmes of the United Nations. 31. They emphasized the critical role of civil society organizations and of religious and community leaders. They also agreed on the importance of involving men and boys in efforts to prevent domestic violence. It was stressed that men were not naturally violent and that violence was a learned behaviour that could be unlearned. 7