Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union

E2: Environmental statistics and accounts; sustainable development

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The indicator is part of the EU Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicator set. It is used to monitor progress towards SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 16 on promoting peace and access to justice for all, which are embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under 'An economy that works for people', 'Promoting our European way of life' and 'A new push for European democracy'.

The EU Gender Equality Strategy commits to achieving a Union of Equality and presents policy objectives and actions to make significant progress by 2025 towards a gender-equal Europe, where women and men, girls and boys, are free to pursue their chosen path in life and have equal opportunities to thrive. The key objectives are ending gender-based violence; challenging gender stereotypes; closing gender gaps in the labour market; achieving equal participation across different sectors of the economy; addressing the gender pay and pension gaps; closing the gender care gap and achieving gender balance in decision-making and in politics.

SDG 5 aims at achieving gender equality by, among other things, ending all forms of discrimination, violence, and any harmful practices against women and girls in the public and private spheres. SDG 16 calls for peaceful and inclusive societies, also based on respect for human rights and the protection of the most vulnerable.

Indicator can be considered as similar to global SDG indicator 5.2.1 "Proportion of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to physical, sexual or psychological violence by a current or former intimate partner, in the previous 12 months, by form of violence and by age" and global SDG indicator 5.2.2 "Proportion of women and girls aged 15 years and older subjected to sexual violence by persons other than an intimate partner, in the previous 12 months, by age and place of occurrence".

Gender-based violence is a brutal form of discrimination and a violation of fundamental human rights. It is both a cause and a consequence of inequalities between women and men. Besides the harmful impact on health and well-being, it can hamper women's access to employment with negative effects on their financial independence and the economy overall.
The EU protects women and children from gender-based violence through awareness raising as well as legislation and practical measures on victims' rights. The Council Framework Decision on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings from 2001 establishes basic rights for victims of crime within the EU.

The indicator measures the share of women from the age of 15 who answered "yes" when they were asked whether they have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a partner or non-partner in the 12 months prior to the interview.

The results of the survey on violence against women are based on face-to-face interviews with 42 000 women in all 28 EU Member States, with on average 1 500 interviews per Member State. Women were asked to provide information about their personal experience of various forms of violence. Partners include persons with whom women are or have been married, living together without being married or involved in a relationship without living together. Non-partners include all perpetrators other than women’s current or previous partner. The indicator is based on a survey of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

% of women by age group.

The 12 months before the interview.

Indicator from non-ESS source. For assessment of accuracy please refer to the original source (see link to external data source and metadata in section “Annexes”).

FRA

Data source: Survey on women’s well-being and safety in Europe.

Data provider: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

Not Applicable

Frequency of indicator update is not specified.

T+1 year

Timeliness of indicator dissemination is not specified.

All EU MS

Data are presented for all EU Member States.

All EU MS

Data are comparable between all EU Member States.

Not Applicable

Indicator with only one data point (2012).

Not Applicable

Indicator with only one data point (2012).

Analysis of indicator is presented in Eurostat's annual monitoring report on Sustainable development in the EU (progress towards SDGs in the EU context).

See table  sdg_05_10

Eurostat dedicated section on SDGs: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/sdi/overview

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