Making European societies and homes safe for women - Helena Dalli
Today we commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. We continue to mark this day since the road ahead to safe societies and homes for women in Europe remains long.
Violence against women is a global phenomenon deeply rooted in gender inequalities and stereotypes. It exists in every country, culture and community and knows no socioeconomic boundaries.
For more than one in three women and girls across Europe, violence remains a reality that harms them physically, sexually and mentally. It negatively affects their well-being and prevents them from fully playing their part in society. It is not only the women and girls who lose out, but eventually the whole of society.
The coronavirus crisis has worsened the situation in this area, as lockdown has trapped victims – mainly women and children – under the same roof with the perpetrators of violence, all day every day. While it is too early to have robust data on the gravity of the impact of the pandemic, the World Health Organization reported a significant increase of interpersonal violence in homes across Europe.
One month into the coronavirus crisis, some countries had recorded up to a 60 per...