The Criminalization of Domestic Violence in Europe

According to a report by the European Parliamentary Research Service, there’s wide variation across European member states in the extent to which domestic violence is criminalized. While several countries have ratified the Istanbul Convention, which recognises different forms of gender-based violence, not all have, and those that do have different interpretations of it.

The Istanbul Convention deals with domestic violence and divides it into four subgroups of harm: physical, sexual, psychological and economic. While domestic violence is defined in several countries as a criminal offense, only seven member states actually refer to all four groups directly. In several other cases, domestic violence is not defined at a national level but the issue is covered either partially or fully under the umbrella of other criminal offenses.

The following chart is based on a report by the European Parliamentary Research Service. It shows that while physical violence is covered by law in all European Member States, the same cannot be said of economic harm. The EPRS defines economic violence as restricting access to resources, such as prohibiting the ability of a woman to earn independent income, property damage, restricting education or the labor market or not complying with economic responsibilities such as alimony. For example, where Germany has legislation on physical and psychological harm it does not explicitly cover sexual and economic violence.

The report writers add that: “In addition to whether it is criminalized or not, the treatment of gender-based violence also varies in terms of the age of consent, what consent means, the burden of proof, sanctions, including compensation and the plans and strategies in place.”

March 8 is International Women’s Day.