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End Violence Against Women

All forms of violence against women are despicable. They are a violation of human rights and undermine our core values. Following the EU's accession to the Istanbul Convention, the most ambitious and comprehensive standards to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence, this year we adopted the first ever EU law to effectively fight violence against women and domestic violence, which complements existing legislation in EU Member States. We now have additional tools to combat such violence, both offline and online, to ensure that women and girls can be safe and live without fear, to provide the targeted support services for victims, and accountability for perpetrators. We call on all Member States to put in place these robust measures swiftly.

Helplines

Report violence, ask for help, break the cycle.

  • Immediate assistance (Police): Call 112/199
  • Helplines (free of charge): Call 1440/1460
  • Live online chat with an expert: domviolence.org.cy
  • Text: if it's dangerous to talk you can text/send an SMS to 99984042

Find out what the EU is doing

The EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 commits the European Union to prevent and combat gender-based violence. In May 2024, the European Union adopted the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence. The Directive aims to provide a comprehensive framework to effectively prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence across the EU. It does so by introducing definitions of certain criminal offences (cyberviolence offences, female genital mutilation and forced marriage), strengthening the protection and support of victims, facilitating their access to justice, enhancing prevention, data collection, coordination and cooperation.

In October 2023, the European Union acceded to the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention. It is the most far-reaching international legal instrument to set out binding obligations to prevent and combat violence against women and girls. In parallel, the Commission has already achieved most of the actions under its EU Strategy on victims' rights (2020-2025). The objective of the strategy is to ensure that all victims in the EU can fully benefit from their rights under EU law. In July 2023, the Commission adopted the proposal for a Directive amending the 2012 Victims' Rights Directive, and to strengthen the rights of all victims of crime across the European Union.