After months of difficult negotiations with the EU Council, Members of European Parliament Frances Fitzgerald and Evin Incir reached a historic agreement on 6 February on a new EU Directive on Violence against women and Domestic Violence. This first piece of EU legislation focuses on the protection, prevention and prosecution of violence against women and domestic violence in Europe, regardless of the Member State.

Frances Fitzgerald welcomed warmly agreement, but expressed disappointment that the European Union could not agree on an EU-wide definition of rape: “Member States failed in their responsibilities to protect women by refusing to include the most heinous crime of rape based on lack of consent in this Directive – my MEP colleagues and I are bitterly disappointed by this decision. Women deserve better“. 

As women, our rights are never guaranteed and are always under scrutiny and threatened to be destroyed. We want to thank the immense work of Frances Fitzgerald and Evin Incir, who worked tirelessly to secure this agreement on behalf of women and girls in Europe!