BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission proposed on Tuesday European Union-wide guidelines to combat violence against women, to shield and help victims and to forestall such violence within the first place.
Unveiling its plan on International Women’s Day, the EU’s govt proposed that, throughout the bloc’s 27 international locations, rape could be criminalised, primarily based purely on the dearth of consent and no matter whether or not power and threats had been used.
It additionally proposed criminalising feminine genital mutilation, cyber-stalking, non-consensual sharing of intimate photographs, cyber-harassment and cyber-incitement to hatred or violence.
According to European Commission information, one in three women within the EU has skilled some type of violence, and whereas the offences are already crimes within the overwhelming majority of member states, there are gaps in nationwide laws of some international locations and authorized frameworks differ.
“Too many women and ladies undergo from rape, harassment or abuse. There is not any place for this in fashionable Europe,” European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova mentioned.
Half of women within the EU have skilled sexual harassment and one in 20 report having been raped, the EU’s govt mentioned, whereas on-line violence can be rising, aimed particularly at women in public life comparable to journalists and politicians.
Half of younger women expertise gender-based cyber violence and a few third of women have confronted sexual harassment at work.
“Unfortunately, the state of affairs will not be getting higher quick sufficient and violence is hovering on-line. We are proposing for the primary time an EU-wide regulation to combat violence against women. This will provide actual instruments for victims,” Jourova mentioned.
Under the proposed laws, victims would have the fitting to declare full compensation from offenders for damages, together with the prices of healthcare, help providers, misplaced earnings, bodily and psychological hurt.
They must also have the option to receive compensation in the midst of prison proceedings. EU international locations would have to present devoted providers, together with rape disaster centres.
Victims at an elevated threat of violence, together with women fleeing armed battle, would have to obtain help from EU governments. There would have to be nationwide assist traces to help victims of violence against women and home violence working seven days per week and freed from cost.
(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; Editing by John Chalmers)
