The European Parliament has voted to introduce an EU-wide definition of rape based on the principle of consent, Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has said.
Through this vote, MEPs have formally called on the European Commission to propose legislation which will establish an EU-wide definition of rape based on the requirement of freely given, informed and revocable consent.
An EU-wide definition of rape does not currently exist, due to longstanding divisions amongst Member States.
MEP Maria Walsh, a full member of the Gender Equality Committee, said:
“We are one step closer to finally introducing an EU-wide definition of rape that is based on a person’s explicit consent. While Ireland recognises that consent must be at the heart of any sexual activity, the European Union is lagging far behind.
“We have struggled to agree on an EU-wide definition of rape for some time now. This has not been for lack of effort in the European Parliament – national Governments within the EU Council have been at loggerheads on this issue for years. However, I believe that we now face the best possible opportunity to finally come to an agreement.
“There are clear signs of momentum. France, once a blocker on this issue, has taken important steps forward – thanks in no small part to the extraordinary courage of Gisèle Pelicot. Last November, French lawmakers voted to include consent in the country’s rape laws for the first time.
“It is now over to the European Commission to capitalise on the momentum for change and introduce legislation for an EU-wide definition. Earlier this month in the European Parliament, I raised this directly with Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib. I doubled down on my calls for a common definition following the discovery of a Telegram group involving nearly 1,000 men sharing step-by-step instructions on how to drug and rape their partners. This is organised, cross-border abuse which underlines why a European-wide response is so badly needed.
“Let me be clear: sex without consent is rape. This is a fact, not a matter of interpretation, and must be recognised as such across all 27 countries of the European Union.”