Fighting Against SGBV (Sexual and Gender-Based Violence)
Women all over the world are being harassed, raped and killed,harassed just because they are women. This is called femicide, a term that should be institutionalised and widely known. Broadly defined as "the killing of a woman or girl because of her gender," it is a severe form of gender-based violence. 'Gender-related killing of women' and 'feminicide' are two phrases used by the EU and other international entities to refer to femicide. Over 40,000 women and girls were murdered by intimate partners or other family members globally and around 2,600 in Europe, in 2020. Women made up 82% of intimate partner homicide victims and 64% of all intimate partner/family-related homicide victims in 2019, although making up only 19% of all homicide victims.
Our collective commitment is to confront SGBV by addressing the deep-rooted discrimination and institutional violence that underpin it. This involves establishing preventive measures, enacting victim-centred legislation, and providing comprehensive sex education to foster a society built on respect, dignity, and equality. Our goal is to raise awareness and present this claim to the public to ensure future generations are protected and free from SGBV.
One in five women in the EU have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a current or previous partner. Only 14 % of women in the EU report their most serious incident of intimate partner violence (IPV) to the police.
Intimate partner violence is the most prevalent type of violence against women and the most severe kind of gender discrimination. It jeopardises women's lives and denies their fundamental rights to security, liberty, and health. Since IPV has not been given a standard definition by EU member states, it is interpreted and quantified differently in each jurisdiction. One of the main areas of focus for EIGE's activities and a declared objective of the EU is the eradication of gender-based violence and the protection of victims. But without fast and accurate data on victims of IPV, offenders, and incidents, this is not achievable. IPV affects women globally regardless of their nationality, age, race, culture, religion, educational attainment, or other attributes.
Some 120 million girls worldwide (slightly more than 1 in 10) have experienced forced intercourse, other forced sexual acts or other forms of intimate partner violence. In Europe and Central Asia, one in every four women is subjected to IPV during her lifetime.
A significant part of our efforts focuses on implementing and improving the EU directive on violence against women. We are dedicated to ensuring that the directive includes a consent-based definition of rape and recognises intersex genital mutilation, coercive medicalisation, and forced sterilisation as forms of SGBV. To avoid any misuse of the directive, we are committed to its full and thorough implementation, emphasising prevention over mere criminalisation. This involves considering the broader context of the Victim's Rights Directive and the Istanbul Convention, adopting a victim-centred approach that addresses underlying issues and provides adequate support.
On a national and local level, we will ensure effective implementation of the directive by sharing successful case studies and providing cross-checked facts, data, and functional tools for combating SGBV, legislative precedents, and media coverage. In recognition of gender-based violence as a serious crime, we advocate for its inclusion in the EU Treaties Article 83.1 TFEU, which would necessitate a common approach to combating this issue. Addressing SGBV perpetrated by state institutions is also crucial, especially in forms such as non-recognition of victims, corruption, obstetrical and gynaecological violence, and reduced access to basic health care. By treating SGBV as a transnational problem, we can periodically report on selected indicators like femicides and cyber-harassment, applying an intersectional approach to data collection and analysis to better understand and address these issues.
Across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, incidence of syphilis and gonorrhea among 15 to 19 year-olds is declining, but remains very high in some countries including Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation. However, chlamydia trachomatis infections are increasing in Europe and Central Asia.
An equally important aspect of our strategy is Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) for all young people in Europe. The FIERCE Charter signatories are committed to addressing SGBV as a cultural problem, promoting prevention through education, and raising awareness of how sexism intersects with racism, classism, ableism, and homo-transphobia. We pledge to provide age-appropriate, standardised CSE materials across all educational institutions, ensuring a curriculum that spans all life stages. This education must be available in pre-schools, schools, universities, colleges, vocational training institutes, adult educational centres, and other learning environments.
Our political commitment includes ensuring mandatory and standardised CSE materials for children in EU countries, addressing crucial topics such as consent, gender norms, intersectional discrimination, LGBTIQ+ rights, SGBV, and sexual violence against children, including incest. Continuous EU funding and resource allocation for developing and implementing CSE materials are essential. Moreover, specific training courses and materials for teachers and educators will highlight CSE themes and provide valid problem-solving examples.
Only four of the twenty member states of the Council of Europe—France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden—have made teacher training on LGBTIQ+ awareness mandatory as of 2018. Approximately twenty states offer some kind of training on this topic. In Ireland, for instance, sexual orientation and gender identity were not required to be covered in school curricula. Lessons on relationships and sexuality may however touch on LGBTIQ+ topics.
Considering an intersectional perspective in CSE is also vital. This approach includes the sexual rights of people with disabilities and acknowledges the complexity of discrimination based on identity markers such as gender, ethnicity, and religion. By empowering young people with knowledge and awareness, we can foster an informed and empowered generation ready to challenge and change the harmful norms that perpetuate SGBV.
Access to comprehensive and high-quality sexuality education is hampered for children and young people with disabilities for a variety of reasons. Seven major and related challenges were identified in a recent scoping analysis of the barriers to sexuality education for children and young people with disabilities, which included a number of EU Member States like Greece, Ireland, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
1) The desexualising viewpoint of educators;
2) the emphasis of sexuality education on protection rather than the promotion of a pleasurable sexual life;
3) the absence of training and support for educators;
4) the resulting incomplete sexuality education;
5) the ambiguity of educators' roles and responsibilities;
6) the diversity, such as cultural and religious, within this vulnerable group;
7) the existence of conflicting preferences regarding health-related matters.
Media coverage plays a vital role in increasing awareness about SGBV. We aim to use it as a tool to inform and educate the public, thereby fostering a more informed and engaged society. Additionally, harmful practises such as female genital mutilation will be targeted, as well as promoting dignified menstruation, in contrast to the social stigma, limitations, mistreatment, aggression, and denial of access to essential services and resources.
Through these multifaceted efforts, we aim to build a society where respect, dignity, and equality prevail, ultimately eradicating SGBV and creating a safer, more inclusive world for everyone.
