The Assembly expressed today its concern with the magnitude of the phenomenon of sexual violence and harassment of women in public space. “Although this violence takes place in public, sometimes in front of dozens of people, women often find themselves facing their attackers alone because witnesses fail to act. This widespread indifference only increases the victims’ feeling of insecurity and helplessness”, PACE warned.
Adopting a resolution, based on a report prepared by Françoise Hetto-Gaasch (Luxembourg, EPP/CD), the parliamentarians called “to put an end to impunity” by prosecuting perpetrators of sexual violence and harassment in public space. Awareness-raising campaigns should be launch and supported, as well as specific preventive measures implemented, especially by developing school sex- and relationship-education programmes.
