Brussels/Luxembourg, 25 November 2024
EU Commission and High Representative call for increased efforts to protect women and girls from violence
Ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, the European Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President issued the following statement:
All forms of violence against women are despicable. They are a violation of human rights and undermine our core values. Women across all corners of the world continue to endure unspeakable violence – physical, sexual, psychological and economic – offline and online. Women and girls also bear the brunt of both immediate violent and lasting effects of war and conflict, resulting disproportionality in economic hardship. The situation is especially dramatic in the context of humanitarian crises, where instances of conflict-related sexual violence and human trafficking often go unreported.
Following the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention, the most ambitious and comprehensive standards to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, this year we adopted the first ever EU law to effectively fight violence against women and domestic violence, which complements existing legislation in EU Member States. We now have additional tools to combat such violence, both offline and online, to ensure that women and girls can be safe and live without fear, to provide the targeted support services for victims, and accountability for perpetrators. We call on all Member States to put in place these robust measures swiftly.
Our commitment to end violence against women around the world is a key priority for the EU external action, not least in the EU’s role as a major humanitarian donor. We reaffirm our steadfast dedication to the immediate eradication of violence against women and girls in collaboration with partner countries, civil society, women’s rights groups, and human rights defenders.”
Background
The EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 commits the European Union to prevent and combat gender-based violence. In May 2024, the European Union adopted the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. The Directive aims to provide a comprehensive framework to effectively prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence across the EU. It does so by introducing definitions of certain criminal offences (cyberviolence offences, female genital mutilation and forced marriage), strengthening the protection and support of victims, facilitating their access to justice, enhancing prevention, data collection, coordination and cooperation.
In October 2023, the European Union acceded to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention. It is the most far-reaching international legal instrument to set out binding obligations to prevent and combat violence against women and girls. In parallel, the Commission has already achieved most of the actions under its EU Strategy on victims’ rights (2020-2025). The objective of the strategy is to ensure that all victims in the EU can fully benefit from their rights under EU law. In July 2023, the Commission adopted the proposal for a Directive amending the 2012 Victims’ Rights Directive, and to strengthen the rights of all victims of crime across the European Union.
Today, the Commission is also publishing a Flash Eurobarometer on Gender Stereotypes on Violence against Women. Across the EU, 92% of respondents consider unacceptable for a man to occasionally slap their wife or girlfriend. 82% of respondents find it also unacceptable for men to body gaze, ogle, catcall or whistle at women. 73% disagree that women often make up or exaggerate claims of abuse or rape.
On 25 November, Eurostat, the European Union Fundamental Rights’ Agency (FRA), and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) will present the findings of a joint survey on gender-based violence in the EU. More information on the gender-based violence survey can be found here from Monday 25 November 11:00 CET.
The Commission provides funding for projects and organisations to tackle gender-based violence through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme. EUR 23 million will be made available in 2025 under the DAPHNE strand to support transnational actions that tackle and prevent violence against children and gender-based violence in the domestic sphere and in intimate relationships, as well as those that protect and support survivors of gender-based violence, including child protection systems.
Internationally, the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-2024) and the Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Action 2021 – 2025 (GAP III), extended until 2027, stand as the EU’s ambitious framework for achieving progress on gender equality and women’s empowerment. The EU, as co-leader of the Generation Equality Forum’s Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence, will continue its efforts to curb gender-based violence, throughout the world.
Six years since its launch, the Spotlight Initiative‘s initial phase has been fully implemented in five regions. Its success has led to the Initiative being selected as one of the 12 ‘High Impact Initiatives’ for its impact across all of the Sustainable Development Goals. As the initiative enters its next phase, the EU will continue to invest in the prevention of gender-based violence globally.
As every year, the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) participate in the UN Women’s Orange the World campaign. On the evening of the 24 November, the European Commission’s Headquarters, the Berlaymont building, will be illuminated in orange, the UN-designated symbol of the global commitment to eliminate Violence against Women.
The facade of EEAS headquarters will also go orange to support the campaign. Pictures will be available on EbS.
More Information
- Ending gender-based violence
- EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025
- Gender Action Plan III
- Flash Eurobarometer 544 – Gender Stereotypes – Violence against Women
- EU gender-based violence survey carried out jointly by Eurostat, FRA and EIGE
- Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence
- Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence
- EU Strategy on victims’ rights (2020-2025)
- Proposal for a Directiveamending the 2012 Victims’ Rights Directive
- Spotlight Initiative
- ACT Programme
- Orange the World
- Global Hub for Victims of Violence
Every third woman in the EU experienced gender-based violence
Around 50 million women aged 18-74 in the EU, or 31%, experienced physical (including threats) or sexual violence in adulthood, based on the EU gender-based violence survey (wave 2021).
When comparing the prevalence of gender-based violence by age group, 35% of women in the youngest age group (aged 18 to 29) reported experiencing gender-based violence, compared with 24% in the oldest age group (aged 65-74).
Data also show that home is not always a safe place for many women. In 2021, 18% of women who had ever had a partner experienced physical or sexual violence by their partner, and if psychological violence is also taken into account, 32% have or have had a violent partner in their lifetime (source dataset: gbv_any_age).
One in eight women have experienced sexual violence, including rape, by a non-partner
Based on the EU gender-based violence survey (wave 2021), 20% of women experienced physical (including threats) or sexual violence by a non-partner, with 9% experiencing degrading or humiliating acts other than rape, another 7% pointing to physical and not sexual violence and 4% having experienced rape.
The percentage of women who said that they had experienced non-partner violence was higher in Finland (47%), Sweden (42%), Denmark (38%), the Netherlands (36%) and Luxembourg (34%). In contrast, Bulgaria (6%), Poland (8%) and Czechia (10%) registered the lowest percentages.
The analysis of non-partner violence by type shows that the greatest differences between EU countries concerning non-partner violence are seen in the prevalence of degrading or humiliating sexual acts other than rape. Values ranged between 24% in Finland and 22% in Sweden and below 2% in Bulgaria, Czechia, and Poland (Source dataset: gbv_npv_type).
This article is based on joint data collection by Eurostat, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
This article marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, observed every year on 25 November.
For more information
- Statistics Explained article on gender-based violence
- Podcast on gender-based violence
- Thematic section on gender-based violence
- Database on gender-based violence
- Joint key results publication by Eurostat, FRA, EIGE
- Press release on the joint key results publication
- Statistical report on the first results of the EU survey on gender-based violence against women and other forms of inter-personal violence (EU-GBV)
Methodological notes
- Eurostat coordinated data collection in 18 EU countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland), where the survey was implemented by National Statistical Authorities. Italy shared comparable data for the main indicators based on its national survey. For 8 EU countries (Czechia, Germany, Ireland, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Hungary, Romania, Sweden) the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) coordinated the data collection, which was carried out by private companies in accordance with the EU-GBV survey guidelines.
- The development of the EU-wide survey on gender-based violence began in 2016. Testing of the questionnaire and methodology was carried out at national level over the period 2017–2019. The main survey implementation started in 2020 and data collections ran from September 2020 – March 2024 (wave 2021).
- It should be noted that the prevalence of gender-based violence as reported in the survey varies at national level. Based on the literature review and as described in the survey guidelines, the extent to which violence is tolerated in the wider community might influence the number of women who are ready to share their experience of violence in the survey. For example, the greatest differences between EU countries concerning non-partner violence are seen in the prevalence of degrading or humiliating sexual acts other than rape. Women who do not consider as acceptable degrading or humiliating sexual acts carried out by a partner or non-partner might be more ready to disclose violent experiences.
- The survey results showed the differences of prevalence rates between age groups. In general, reporting experiences in the survey that may have happened some time ago could be impacted by recall issues. However, a lower prevalence rate for older age groups may also be related to the social norms which existed or still exist in a country, implying that the respondent did not consider relevant sharing this kind of experience even via the survey.
- Methodological issues and quality of the survey is provided in the metadata.
Source – Eurostat
S&D Group: Only Yes means Yes! On the Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, the S&Ds call for the EU consent-based rape law
Women in the EU face a scourge of sexual and gender-based violence*. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Socialists and Democrats once again call for strong legal instruments and preventive measures to protect women.
We need a consent-based rape legislation at EU level to make sure that women have the same rights and protection across all member states. Only YES means YES.
Gender-based violence needs to be enshrined as an EU Crime under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, S&D MEP and coordinator in the FEMM committee, said:
“Gender-based violence is a global pandemic and the most widespread violation of human rights. In Europe, one in three women has experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 15, and one in twenty reported having been raped. However still, rape is hugely under-reported as women fear stigma, they lack trust in the justice system, or think they would simply not be believed.
“Currently, only a dozen EU countries have laws defining rape as sex without consent. In other EU countries victims are required to prove the use of force or threat for the act to qualify as rape. I am proud that, thanks to ‘Lewica’, Poland just revised its criminal law concerning the crime of rape, including the consent-based definition for the first time. I hope France and other countries will follow too. Things must change – to honour the incredible courage of Gisèle Pelicot* and to protect other women in the future! The ‘Only Yes means Yes’ approach must become the new norm throughout the whole EU.”
Birgit Sippel, S&D MEP and coordinator in the LIBE committee, added:
“We urge all member states to get rid of outdated laws regarding rape and bring legislation in line with the Istanbul Convention. At the same time, we continue to push for a consent-based rape legislation at the EU level. Unfortunately, the Council rejected this demand in the recently adopted EU directive to combat violence against women. Some member states argued that there was no legal basis for such a legislation, when in fact, what was most lacking was the political will by leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and liberal Minister for Justice Marco Buschmann in Germany.
“However, we are not giving up. We demand the Commission to follow up on its promise. The crime of rape on the basis of the lack of consent needs to be criminalised at EU level.
“Additionally, we call for identifying gender-based violence as an EU crime under the Treaty. This step, so far refused by the Commission and the Council, would make it possible for the EU to fight all forms of this crime, both online and offline. There is unfortunately still a long way to go before women are protected in the EU.”
Notes:
One in three women has experienced violence or threats of violence and or sexual violence in their lifetime by any perpetrator, as shown in the first EU-wide data survey published November 25, 2024, by FRA, Eurostats and EIGE. This means that we have not seen any progress in the last 10 years since the last EU survey was published. Regarding rape, we have seen an increase, with new data showing that one in six women has experienced sexual violence, including rape, in their lifetime.
Gisèle Pelicot is the victim of mass rape. Her husband has admitted to drugging her and recruiting dozens of men online to rape her while she was unconscious. The trial shook the country, clearly demonstrating the limits of existing French legislation, and promoting calls for change.
Source – S&D Group (by email)