Report reveals 1 in 3 women in the EU have been victims of violence

Nearly one-third of women in the EU have experienced violence at home, at their work, or in public, according to a survey published Monday on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

However, only one in four of those women report violent incidents to the authorities, revealed the survey conducted between 2020 and 2024 by Eurostat, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).

The highest rates of women who have experienced physical violence, threats or sexual violence were recorded in Finland (57 percent), Sweden (53 percent) and Hungary (49 percent). The lowest rates were reported in Bulgaria (12 percent), Poland (17 percent) and Czechia and Portugal (20 percent each).

“Violence against women is rooted in control, dominance and inequality,” said EIGE director Carlien Scheele, who added that “when a gendered perspective is integrated into prevention measures, services and authorities, then we can expect to see more women coming forward, trusting that they will receive the support they need.

“Every woman has a right to be safe — everywhere,” she concluded.

The survey also found that 42 percent of young women aged between 18 and 29 experienced sexual harassment at work, the highest of all examined age groups.

Some women fail to report violence that happened to them for fear of retribution, being stigmatized, blamed, excluded from their social circle (particularly in more traditional societies), or because they might not be believed. Among other reasons are lack of trust in institutions and difficult access to justice.

The report noted that the EU took multiple steps to eradicate violence against women, which included ratifying the Istanbul Convention in June 2023. The flagship document — which became a proxy in a culture war between Eastern and Western Europe — intends to provide the bloc with legally binding standards to protect women.