What are European countries doing to
protect migrant women from violence?
On
International Day on Violence against Women (25 November), the European
Women’s Lobby (EWL) calls on the Member States of the European Union to
take into consideration the particularly difficult situation of migrant
women facing male violence.
Violence against women
is not only a violation of human rights but also a social problem in the
EU. Violence in intimate relationships, known as domestic violence,
affects more than 20% of women, and crosses class and cultural
boundaries. EWL
recalls that despite the gravity of this phenomenon, and despite
constant claims from women’s organisations and members of the European
Parliament, there is still no European legislation to combat violence
against women.
The
consequences of violence are particularly severe for migrant women who
have an insecure legal and social status.
“In situations of
violence, migrant women are often prevented from seeking assistance
through fear of deportation and expulsion from the country where they
live”, stated EWL President, Kirsti Kolthoff. This is particularly
true in cases of women joining their partners in the EU under family
reunification. European legislation could improve this situation, in
particular the European Directive on the
right to family reunification, which provides for the guarantee of an
autonomous residency permit in cases of “particularly difficult
circumstance”. However, while the deadline of transposition at national
level of this directive is passed, many EU Member States still have not
integrated it in their national legislation.
“The adoption of a
more flexible approach to the granting of residence permist to foreign
women who want to leave their violent partners is a recommendation of
the Council of Europe, which should be implemented by in all EU
countries”, concluded Mary Mc Phail, EWL Secretary General. EWL
urges Member States to take this opportunity to develop strong policies
to protect migrant women from violence in intimate relationships. EWL
also calls again on the Commission and the Council to start developing a
European legal framework for combating all forms of violence against
women, which should include the recognition of the multiple
discrimination experienced by migrant women.
