EU gender-based violence - a silent epidemic

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A fundamental rights violation affecting women across the EU

A silent epidemic

114,000 women speak out

Violence every day, everywhere

1 in 3 women in the EU experience physical or sexual violence.

That is 62 million women who have been slapped, hit, kicked, raped, or threatened with violence.

Violence happens everywhere, every day - at home, at work, in public and online.

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"Violence against women is a fundamental rights violation. Across the EU, women’s rights to dignity, safety and equality are still being violated at scale. When abuse is normalised, hidden or ignored, it reflects systemic failures to uphold rights. Member States have clear obligations to prevent violence, protect victims and ensure access to justice — and these findings show there is still urgent work to do."

- FRA Director Sirpa Rautio -

FRA Director, Sirpa Rautio, speaking
©Vogus, 2024

In numbers

1 in 5
experience physical violence
1 in 10
are raped
3 in 10
suffer psychological violence by a partner
1 in 12
are victims of economic violence

The quiet harm

Violence by intimate partners

Behind closed doors, at home in spaces meant to feel safe, women in relationships face multiple forms of violence.

For many, violence is not a one-time event. It unfolds over months or years.

It may start with emotional pressure or control isolating her from friends or family, slurs, insults and harassment.

Some partners also control finances to make women financially dependent and limit their freedom.

Such psychological and economic violence may continue and escalate to threats, physical assault, and sexual violence.

Because the abuser is someone known or once trusted, the violence carries a deep emotional weight. Victims often hesitate to speak out. They fear retaliation, they fear they will not be believed and they fear they will lose everything if they leave.

This figure shows the proportion of women who have experienced physical violence or threats and/or sexual violence by any perpetrator in their lifetime (%)

Invisible threats

The menace of stalking

In the shadows of daily life, a silent menace persists - stalking. Often dismissed or misunderstood, stalking is a deeply invasive crime that leaves victims, living in fear, constantly looking over their shoulders.

Almost 1 in 5 women in the EU have been stalked.

It is a pattern of behaviour used to control, intimidate and frighten women. As a result, almost 30% of women stop going out alone. Others carry something to protect themselves, or change their usual route.

Whether online or in person, stalkers exploit technology, personal routines and emotional vulnerabilities to exert control and instil terror.

Worse still, they are not strangers but people they once loved or trusted. In fact, partners are responsible for half of all GPS tracking/spying.

A woman sitting on a bench of an avenue with neutral expression while checking her mobile phone

Digital threats, real harm

How technology fuels violence

Technology is changing how violence against women takes place. And not all change is good.

Technology‑facilitated violence against women is rising, with growing reports of online harassment, cyberstalking and image‑based abuse. Social media platforms and messaging apps are often used to intimidate, threaten or silence women.

Some women log on to find sexually explicit messages in their inbox or inappropriate advances on their social media accounts. Others discover they are being watched online.

Across the EU, 8.5% of women experience cyberstalking and 7% of working women are harassed sexually online. 

Even partners use technology to control or abuse women – 10% of women say an intimate partner has tracked or monitored their location. Partners are also responsible for 37% of cases where intimate content is shared without consent.

And many women may never know they are being tracked. Covert surveillance is difficult to detect, which means the level of cybertracking could well be much higher.

Black business woman thinking in front of a laptop

Not part of the job

Sexual harassment at work

Women at work are not free from violence, including sexual harassment.

They can face sexual harassment by male co-workers, bosses / supervisors and by clients and customers. 

Shockingly, nearly 1 in 3 of working women are sexually harassed at work. And the younger you are, the greater the risk: over 4 in 10 young women face sexual harassment at work. 

Harassment is not just confined to the physical workplace. Women are often sent sexually explicit emails or messages, or inappropriate advances on social media.

Worryingly, for many women it is not just a once-off event. For 1 in 5 women, it occurs time after time.

And while 8 in 10 women talk to someone close to them about sexual harassment at work, only half that number officially report it. This leaves employers unaware of the extent of the problem and many women without support and access to justice.

This also has an economic impact on victims and the companies themselves - employers who cannot guarantee a safe working environment will not benefit from the skills and talents of their workforce.

This figure shows the proportion of women who have experienced sexual harassment at work (%)

At greater risk

Violence against women in vulnerable situations

All women are exposed to violence. But some women face a higher risk.

Pregnant women who are in relationships with a violent partner are particularly vulnerable - 1 in 4 experience violence. 

Women with disabilities also face higher levels of violence: 17% report sexual violence by their intimate partner, compared with 7% of women without a disability. 

Other factors can increase the risk as well. Women with lower levels of education or who are unemployed are more likely to experience violence from their partners.

Portrait of young woman with down syndrome sitting on sofa at home

Stolen childhood

Violence against girls

Childhood should be a time of innocence, nurture and safety. A time to grow, learn and have fun. 

Yet, young girls also fall prey to gender-based violence.

1 in 15 women have suffered from sexual violence as a child, mostly at the hands of someone they knew or trusted. 

Some parents, who are meant to nurture and protect their children, have a darker side. 1 in 3 women said that their parent was physically or psychologically violent against them as a child.

What makes matters worse, childhood violence is often an indication of further violence in later life. 

Women that suffered violence as children are more likely to become a victim of sexual violence from partners, strangers or acquaintances in their adult life.

Silhouette a girl with teddy bear on mountain and sky sunset

The hidden impact of violence

Understanding the physical and psychological consequences

Violence against women scars women for life, not just physically but also mentally.

1 in 8 have been left with physical injuries. These include cuts and bruises, broken bones, internal injuries, and miscarriages.

Partner violence has left 1 in 15 women fearing for their life.

Such trauma comes at a real cost. 1 in 3 of victims of partner violence felt unable to do housework or care for their children and 1 in 6 had to take time off their work or studies.

Sadness, depression and anxiety are also all too common, affecting 1 in 10 women.

A contemplative young woman wearing glasses stands on an urban street with a blurred city background

The invisible epidemic

Understanding under-reporting

Official figures mask the true scale of violence.

Many women remain silent not because the violence was not serious, but because speaking out can come at a cost. Fear of not being believed, social pressure, or the risk of retaliation all play a part.

Almost 1 in 3 never discuss what happened with anyone.

When it comes to domestic violence the picture is even bleaker. Only 1 in 2 talk about their experiences of physical violence compared to nearly 3 in 4 victims of non-partner violence.

Only 1 in 7 victims contact the police.

1 in 5 reach out to health or social services.

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Women are still not safe

A decade on

In 2014, FRA revealed the extent to which women across the EU experience violence every day and everywhere.

It was the first ever, and largest at the time, EU-wide survey on violence against women, drawing on face-to-face interviews with 42,000 women across the EU.

It found that 1 in 3 women had experienced physical or sexual violence.

While the exact numbers vary between countries, the overall picture is clear: this is not a rare or isolated phenomenon. It is part of everyday life for millions of women.

A decade later, we continue to witness the same shocking levels of violence, despite international, EU and national legal and policy initiatives, and grassroots initiatives like #MeToo.

3 young women together with eyes closed. The central woman is shaded red.

Putting an end to violence against women

It should be zero

The EU and Member States have taken steps to eradicate violence against women. These have included measures to prevent violence, and to better protect and support victims of violence.

Examples include agreeing to the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, as well as EU’s rules on gender-equality, on violence against women and victims’ rights.

However, as these survey results show concerted effort is still needed to ensure women can enjoy a life free from gender-based violence.

Solutions include:
  • Protect and meet the needs of all victims of violence
  • Address the impact of all forms of intimate partner violence
  • Target economic and psychological violence from partners
  • Improve the reporting of violence
  • Combat sexual harassment at work
  • Tackle online abuse, cyber harassment and cyberstalking
  • Stop childhood abuse
Next Steps

A future without violence

Change is possible