Women's group calls for 2016 to become EU year dedicated to eradicating violence against women

The Labour party’s women’s forum has joined forces with the PES Women group – an organization that promotes gender equality and women’s representation – in appealing for the year 2016 to be dedicated to the eradication of violence against women.

Tuesday 25 November is the international Day of Elimination of Violence against Women.

Nisa Laburisti president Claudette Abela Baldacchino said that the collaboration would make use of social media and events like White Ribbon Day to make it clear that domestic violence is not tolerated within society.

Last year, 1594 incidents of domestic violence against women took place and 274 cases took place against men. Around seven women per year die as a result of domestic violence in the EU and one in three women have been subjected to psychological or sexual violence during her lifetime.

These numbers are unacceptable, said Abela Baldachino, who added that condemning such acts is not enough – a strategy is needed to make sure that this issue is taken seriously.