Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
Socialist MEPs have voiced “regret” over the failure to classify non-consensual sex as rape under planned new EU laws.
After a decade of calls and insistent pressure and campaigning, the EU will finally have the first-ever law to combat violence against women – a solid first step to eradicate the pandemic of gender-based violence.
A new directive, that will be put to the final vote later this week in Strasbourg, means that the EU, for the first time, will have a legal instrument to combat gender-based cyber violence, like cyberstalking and cyber-flashing.
It will also make female genital mutilation (FGM) a criminal offence, punishable across the EU, and forced marriage will be criminalised at EU level too.
Furthermore, the new law details the rights for victims of all forms of violence against women or domestic violence, and provides for their protection. Children who have witnessed domestic violence will also be considered victims of domestic violence.
However, the Socialist group has voiced some concerns.
A statement said, “It is very regrettable that the Council rejected our demand to include the crime of non-consensual sex as rape.”
It adds, “However, as S&Ds, we are determined to continue this fight until women everywhere in the EU are protected from all forms of gender-based violence.”
Comment also came from Evin Incir, the European Parliament’s co-rapporteur on gender-based violence.
The MEP told this site, “We are taking a big step forward to better protect women and girls from violence, whether at home, at work, offline or online. Gender-based violence, sexual violence, and domestic violence is a global pandemic and a serious violation of human rights, also in Europe.”
“It’s unacceptable that some EU governments continue to refuse to ratify the Istanbul Convention, or are even working actively against women’s rights and gender equality.”
“That is why it is so important that the EU will finally have its own legal instrument to support and protect women in the EU. Obviously, we regret that the alliance formed by two liberals – President of France, Emmanuel Macron and German Justice Minister, Marco Buschmann – with the illiberal Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, has prevented the progress on consent-based rape legislation.”
