Combating violence against women

The Spanish presidency has made it one of its priorities to focus on the prevention and eradication of violence against women. It was therefore a highly symbolic gesture when the Council adopted conclusions on the subject on 8 March, International Women's Day.

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The conclusions call for the introduction of an EU-wide free telephone number offering assistance to women who have fallen victim to violent behaviour. The phone number could also be used to provide specific and updated information.

Fighting violence against women in the EU requires a comprehensive knowledge of the subject. There are, however, no comparable data at national and EU level. It is estimated that one in five women is a victim of gender-based abuse every day in Europe, but the true scale of the problem is hard to gauge. To collect and exchange reliable information, it is proposed to create a European Observatory on Violence against Women.

Furthermore, the conclusions urge Member states to develop their strategies for combating violence against women and to provide them with assistance and protection, including medical, psychological and social assistance as well as legal aid. Violence should be prohibited by law, and perpetrators brought before the courts.

Violence against women not only constitutes a violation of their fundamental rights with huge personal implications, devastating their lives, but it also has negative consequences for society as a whole, including in terms of high costs for health and social services, the police and the labour market.

More information:
Council conclusions 
Webcast of public debate 
Webcast of press conference