Brussels, 27/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - By a show of hands on Thursday 26 November, the European Parliament passed a resolution marking the tenth anniversary of the International Day against Violence against Women in which it called for a more coherent and targetted EU policy on tackling all forms of violence against women in line with the European Commission's sexual equality roadmap. The EP wants a clear legal basis to be established to tackle violence against women and the white slave trade.
The EP therefore urges the member states to: recognise sexual violence against women as crimes, including in a marital or unofficial relationship and/or incest (committed by male members of the family) and to systematically take legal action against such crimes; take appropriate measures to put an end to female genital mutilation: step up legislation and national policies against any form of violence against women, including through the setting of national action plans to this end. The EP says that free legal aid should be available to enable women victims of sexual violence end people trafficking to assert their rights anywhere in the EU, calling for a rejection of references to culture, religious practice or tradition as an attenuating circumstance reducing the responsibility of the authors of such crimes, including so-called “honour crimes” and female genital mutilation. Violence by men against women is a violation of human rights and the right to life, safety, dignity, sexual choice, health, physical and mental integrity and reproductive health.
Pascale Gruny (EPP, France) said during the debate that domestic violence is the leading cause of death and disability for women between the ages of 16 and 44. She said that the EU had to protect its most vulnerable citizens and the EU's Daphne Programme in support of action against violence did not go far enough. Nicole Kiil-Nielsen (Greens/EFA, France) said that no member state had managed to eradicate violence against women, which is built into society and sustained by a system of discrimination that keeps women in a subordinate position. She said violence against women generates power relations and dominance that is a breeding ground for violence in general.. Isabelle Durant (Greens/EFA, Belgium), EP Vice-President, welcomed the vigil outside the EP assembly just before the midday votes of a group of Congolese women organised to defend peace and justice, who are highly active in tackling the systematic violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking to reporters, Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/NGL, Sweden) and Italian MEPs Roberta Angellili (EPP), Matera Barberra (EPP), Silvia Costa (S&D), Cristiana Muscardini (EPP) and Patrizia Toia (S&D), regretted the lack of comparable official statistics at EU level, explaining that nothing was available at Eurostat (the EU's statistical office), adding that they had made use of information from the Council of Europe, which is highly active in this domain. They said that it was important to compare and contrast legislation to find the most effective way of tackling violence against women and take action on a daily basis. The MEPs said that the International Day against Violence Against Women should make people think because violence against women is also a problem that affects men. They raised the question of cultural violence against women (in addition to physical violence) which reduces women to a type of slavery and not just in Africa but also in Europe. They gave the example of the culture of the Mafia where women are seen as objects to be used and abused by men. The MEPs want the Spanish Presidency of the EU to set up a single body for tackling violence against women, which they said is hardly a new phenomenon, explaining that it usually takes place in private, behind closed doors, and that action is therefore needed to increase the visibility of violence against women. They explained that there is a worrying trend among young people where there has been an increase in all types of violence, particularly among young people drinking alcohol and taking drugs. (G.B./transl.fl)