EP resolution on gender-based violence

### Press Release ###

European Parliament takes a strong stand for combatting all forms of gender-based violence, including those against LGBTIQ people

On Thursday 16th of September 2021, by 427 votes in favour, 119 against, and 140 abstentions the European Parliament adopted a “resolution with recommendations to the Commission on identifying gender-based violence as a new area of crime listed in Article 83(1) TFEU”. Due to its cross-border dimension and the severity of its impact, this new area would join others were the Union has already found the need to combat them on a common basis (so called “Eurocrimes”), such as human, drug, and arms trafficking, computer crime and terrorism.

Notably, the Parliament highlights that gender-based violence encompasses violence against women and girls together with other forms of gender-based violence, that “LGBTIQ+ persons are also victims of gender-based violence because of their gender, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics” .

With an historic move, the European Parliament  emphasizes that gender-based violence includes “female and intersex genital mutilations”¹ – along with physical or psychological violence, online or offline hate speech, bullying and harassment and other forms of violence. 

The resolution comprehensively addresses the need for improvement in areas such as education, data collection and reparations as to provide support for survivors of all forms of gender-based violence, in order to protect individuals from gender-based violence.

We congratulate and applaud the European Parliament not only for highlighting that LGBTIQ+ people are victims of gender-based violence, but also for taking a clear stand about the fact that female and intersex genital mutilation are equally harmful practices and are both to be considered gender-based violence

Dan Christian Ghattas, Executive Director, OII Europe

“We congratulate and applaud the European Parliament not only for highlighting that LGBTIQ+ people are victims of gender-based violence, but also for taking a clear stand about the fact that female and intersex genital mutilation are equally harmful practices and are both to be considered gender-based violence“, says Dan Christian Ghattas, Executive Director of OII Europe. “Gender-based violence is widespread and LGBTIQ+ people are among its most vulnerable victims. The systematical attacks of the anti-gender and anti-feminist movements on women and LGBTIQ+ rights in Europe and worldwide have a cross-border dimension, that needs to be addressed on a cross-national level through adding gender-based violence as a area of crime to Article 83(1) TFEU.”

“The understanding that the roots of gender-based violence are rigid gender norms and the sex/gender bias, has significantly grown in the past years. Such norms harm different communities on various levels, and specifically intersex people who are subjected to medical harmful practices, like IGM,  and to structural and day-to-day discriminiation by those who feel responsible for enforcing those norms, be it at school, work, in the family, hospital and so on”, adds Kitty Anderson, Co-Chair of OII Europe. “This important resolution proves the a clear commitment and understanding of the European Parliament that no one should be left behind if we want to achieve a gender-equal Europe for everyone”.

¹ Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) is the non-consented non-vital surgery or medical intervention performed on intersex infants and children’s healthy bodies to make their appearance align with medical and social notions of male and female bodies.

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