The
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights interviewed 42,000 women from 27 European Union (EU) Member States and Croatia for a survey analyzing women’s experiences of gender-based violence, including domestic violence, violence perpetrated by strangers, and sexual harassment at work, including a new challenge – cyber harassment.
The agency’s initial data highlights these major concerns:
- Four in five women did not turn to any service, such as healthcare, social services, or victim support, following the most serious incidents of violence by people other than their partners. Women who sought help were most likely to turn to medical services, highlighting the need to ensure that healthcare professionals can address the needs of victims of violence.
- Two in five women were unaware of laws or political initiatives to protect them in cases of domestic violence; half were unaware of any preventative laws or initiatives.
- Over three in four women think violence against women is common in their country.
- About half of the women indicated that they had avoided public or private situations because they were afraid that they might be physically or sexually assaulted.
The Agency plans to launch the final survey report in early 2014.