EU policy to fight violence against women

Women are the main victims of gender-based violence.

Studies show that one-fifth to one-quarter of all women in Europe have experienced physical violence at least once during their adult lives and that more than one-tenth have suffered sexual violence.

The Greens believe that the EU should adopt a more comprehensive policy approach against gender-based violence, including EU legislation in the form of a Directive proposing measures to address the ‘six-P’ framework on violence against women (policy, prevention, protection, prosecution, provision and partnership).

We urge all Member States to define rape and sexual violence against women within marriage and intimate informal relationships as a crime.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) and other EU bodies should also promote this approach internationally.

The Greens succeeded in securing majority support for our demand that rape and sexual violence within relationships be defined as crimes.

Parliament also adopted our call for a proactive approach to be taken within the framework of external policies.

The Greens have not yet managed to prompt the Commission to propose a Directive on violence against women.

We, like all other groups in Parliament, were divided over the issue of prostitution, especially with respect to whether all forms of it constitute acts of violence against women.