Sex without consent is rape and a clear violation of women's rights.
1 in 3 women above the age of 15 in the EU have been victims of gender-based violence, and 1 in 20 women have been raped. Every 11 minutes, a woman or a girl is killed by a family member.
Rape cases have increased in the last years in Europe. Many countries still define the rape on the basis of physical violence. But what about those cases where there is no physical violence?
Rape must be defined on the basis of absence of consent.
We need your help.
Write to Robert Biedron, Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, to take the necessary action to ensure that rape is defined on the absence of consent across Europe and the EU and remaining member states ratify and implement the Istanbul Convention.
The Istanbul Convention states that lack of consent must be at the centre of any legal definition of rape and other forms of sexual violence. Sadly, the EU and six Member States have not yet ratified the Istanbul Convention, and two others are at risk of withdrawal.
Combatting rape and sexual violence is a priority for European liberals. We call on European governments to define rape on the basis of absence of consent and to countries to ratify and implement the Istanbul Convention.
Change is happening, as European countries are modifying national laws in line with international standards. Under the leadership of liberal Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, new reforms put the concept of consent at the centre of defining sexual violence, which entered into force in Belgium earlier this year.
But there’s still much work to be done.
We need your help!
Europe's liberals are committed to fight against gender-based violence - find out what we plan to do
