Women against Violence Europe (WAVE) Network launches the European campaign Step up! In the next two years, WAVE members will promote the rights of women survivors of violence and their children to access support and protection throughout Europe.

Violence against women and girls remains the most widespread form of human rights violation and it can be fatal - in 2012, an estimated 47% of all homicides of women were committed by a family member or an intimate partner.

The under-investment in adequate support has to do with the wide-spread victim-blaming, also responsible for the under-reporting of violence. Most societies prohibit such violence but tacitly tolerate it in practice, so women have no alternative and endure repeated violence. The costs of this repeated violence affect all of us. Support services are vital to enable women and their children to seek safety and empowerment for violence-free lives. Therefore we urge the European society to step up investments in specialized services that work from a women’s rights perspective and make a difference.

4) Improve the quality of support services, which are best provided by independent women’s organisations that place women’s needs and rights at the heart of their work. 

For more details, watch the video, or visit the website.

Women against Violence Europe (WAVE) Network launches the European campaign Step up! In the next two years, WAVE members will promote the rights of women survivors of violence and their children to access support and protection throughout Europe.

Violence against women and girls remains the most widespread form of human rights violation and it can be fatal - in 2012, an estimated 47% of all homicides of women were committed by a family member or an intimate partner.

The under-investment in adequate support has to do with the wide-spread victim-blaming, also responsible for the under-reporting of violence. Most societies prohibit such violence but tacitly tolerate it in practice, so women have no alternative and endure repeated violence. The costs of this repeated violence affect all of us. Support services are vital to enable women and their children to seek safety and empowerment for violence-free lives. Therefore we urge the European society to step up investments in specialized services that work from a women’s rights perspective and make a difference.
The WAVE Network call on key decision-makers on national and European levels to:

1) Actively support prevention and protection for victims of violence against women;

2) Commit to improving access to specialised support services for ALL women and their children;  
3) Increase the availability of specialist support services in Europe (particularly women’s helplines, shelters and centres); 

4) Improve the quality of support services, which are best provided by independent women’s organisations that place women’s needs and rights at the heart of their work. 

For more details, watch the video, or visit the website.