WUNRN
EWL - European Women's Lobby
Direct Link to Full European
Parliament Resolution:
European
Parliament Resolution of 5 April 2011 on priorities and outline of a new EU
policy framework to fight violence against women (2010/2209(INI))
5 April 2011
The EWL warmly welcomes this
vote, which demonstrates the common concerns of the members of the European
Parliament to combat this pervasive human rights violation. The report is a very strong political document
which highlights the need for an EU action against all forms of violence
against women, including prostitution.
According to the adopted report
rape and other forms of sexual violence against women should be classified as
crimes in all EU countries, leading to automatic prosecution. The MEPs also
call for an EU directive to combat gender-based violence.
The resolution states that
Europe’s women do not have equal protection against male violence across the
EU, as national laws and policies differ from one
The resolution also calls for an
EU directive against gender-based violence. Around 20-25% of all women in
Stalking should also be
considered as a form of violence against women and be dealt with by means of a
standard legal framework in all Member States, believe MEPs.
"Women are victims of gender
based violence but we must cease to see them as just victims", said
rapporteur Eva-Britt Svensson. "They are often strong women who with
proper support from society can build a new and better life for themselves and
their children. I am very happy that Parliament agreed today that violence
against women is a priority for the European Union and I look forward to the
Commission’s proposals for a strategy and an action plan to combat such
violence."
The EU and its
In addition, MEPs call for
minimum standards to ensure that victims have advice from a legal practitioner
and access to legal aid enabling them to assert their rights throughout the
The vote was followed by a
cross-party press conference where the rapporteur and all shadow rapporteurs
called on the European Commission to fulfill its promise to come up with an EU
action plan on violence against women.