Activities of Elissavet VOZEMBERG-VRIONIDI related to 2020/2035(INL)
Plenary speeches (1)
Combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence (debate)
Reports (1)
REPORT with recommendations to the Commission on combating gender-based violence: cyberviolence
Amendments (54)
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6
Citation 6
— having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which opened for signature in Istanbul on 11 May2011 (hereinafter the ‘IstanbulConvention’),
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 a (new)
Citation 6 a (new)
— having regard to the Council of Europe Convention of 23 November 2001 on Cybercrime,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 b (new)
Citation 6 b (new)
— having regard to the Commission Code of Conduct on countering illegal speech online of May 2016 and its fifth monitoring (June 2020),
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 c (new)
Citation 6 c (new)
— having regard to the Commission Communication of 28 September 2017 on tackling illegal content online,
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 d (new)
Citation 6 d (new)
— having regard the Europol regulation, Europol’s European Cybercrime Center, and its Internet organised crime threat assessment,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 6 e (new)
Citation 6 e (new)
— having regard to the Eurojust regulation,
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
Citation 12 a (new)
— having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 3 October 2017 on Strengthening Media Freedom: the Protection of Journalists in Europe, Hate Speech, Disinformation and the Role of Platforms,
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 b (new)
Citation 12 b (new)
— having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 25 November 2020 on Cybercrime,
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 c (new)
Citation 12 c (new)
— having regard to the European commission proposal on the Digital Services Act COM 2020(0825),
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 d (new)
Citation 12 d (new)
— having regard to the proposal for combatting sexual abuse of children online (interim regulation on the procession of personal and other data), COM 2020 (568),
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas violence against women and other forms of gender-based violence are widespread in the Union and are to be understood as an extreme form of discrimination which has a huge impact on victims, their families, and communities; whereas gender-based violence is rooted in the unequal distribution of power between women and men, in sexism and gender stereotypes, which have led to domination over and discrimination against women by men;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
B a. Whereas the increasing reach of the internet, the rapid spread of mobile information, and the use of social media, coupled with the violence against women has led to the proliferation of cyber violence against women and gender-based violence;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas gender-based violence included in its cyber dimension and domestic violence have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic; whereas one in ten women in the EU have already experienced a form of cyber violence since the age of 151a; _________________ 1aEuropean Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (2014). Violence against women: an EU-wide survey
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)
Recital C b (new)
C b. whereas according to WHO1a one in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence mostly by an intimate partner and lockdowns have aggravated the risk of domestic violence and abuse; whereas the greater use of the internet during the pandemic increases online and ICT-facilitated gender-based violence; _________________ 1aWHO report ´Violence against women prevalence estimates 2018´
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)
Recital C c (new)
C c. whereas existing forms of cyber violence and gender-based cyber violence are constantly evolving and new forms are emerging, and the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women noted that new technologies “will inevitably give rise to different and new manifestations of online violence against women”;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas cyber harassment, cyber stalking, cyber bullying, trolling, online hate speech, flaming, doxxing and image- based sexual abuse are among the most common types of gender-based cyberviolence; whereas although some Member States have adopted specific legislation on some of those particular forms only, significant gaps remain;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas, despite a growing awareness of the phenomenon of gender- based cyberviolence, the lack of collection of exhaustive and recent data and the underreporting of cases of gender-based cyberviolence prevents an accurate assessment of its prevalence; whereas the European added value assessment on gender-based cyberviolence estimates that between 4 and 7% of women in the Union have experienced cyber harassment during the past 12 months, while between 1 and 3% have experienced cyber stalking; whereas the World Wide Web Foundation survey conducted in 2020 among respondents from180 countries revealed that 52 % of young women and girls have experienced online abuse and 64 % of respondents stated they know someone who have experienced it; outlining that youngwomen and girls are at a greater risk of encountering cyberviolence,particularly cyber- harassment and cyberbullying, which can have incrediblynegative impacts on both their schooling and their mental health; whereas such lack of available data is linked to the underreporting of cases of gender-based cyberviolence;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas women can be targeted by cyberviolence either individually or as members of a specific community; whereas intersectional forms of discrimination can exacerbate the consequences of gender- based cyberviolence; whereas women belonging to ethnic minorities, racialized women, LBTIQ women, girls or women with disabilities are bigger targets to online attacks;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
F a. whereas the Europol Cybercrime Center, Eurojust and ENISA have conducted research onthe cyber crime online’;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
H a. whereas prevention, especially through education, including digital literacy and skills, must be a key element of any public policy aimed at tackling gender-based cyberviolence;
Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Underlines that gender-based cyberviolence is a continuumoften an extension of or a precursor to gender-based violence experienced of gender- based violence offline and that no policy alternative will be effective unless it takes this reality into consideration;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Welcomes in that sense the digital services act, aiming at creating a safer digital space where the rights of users are protected;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the Union’s Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 put forward by the Commission as a tool to combat violence against women and gender-based violence and to tackle the root causes of it, as well as the intention expressed for a specific proposal to extend the list of EU crimes to include all forms of hate crime and hate speech;
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines the transnational nature of gender-based cyberviolenceall human rights violations, including gender-based violence; stresses that gender-based cyberviolence has additional transnational implications, with perpetrators using online platforms or mobile phones connected to or hosted by other European countries than where the victim of harassment is located, considering the cross-border dimension of the use of ICT thus the borderless nature of cybercrime;
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Further underlines that image- based sexual assault is an extreme violation of privacy and also constitutes a form of gender-based violence, as exemplified in Ireland in November 2020 when tens of thousands of sexually explicit images of women and girls, were made public without their consent; strongly encourages therefore, Member States to include image-based sexual assault or any non-consensual sharing of explicit intimate material, on the list of sexual offences in their national legislation, outside of instances involving child pornography;
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Calls additionally for awareness- raising programs and training to improve protection and support of victims of cyber violence;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Invites the Member States to develop a harmonised and regularly updated directory of support services, helplines and reporting mechanisms available in individual cases of cyberviolence against women, these could be available on a singular platform, which could also contain information on the support available for other forms of violence against women, and be user- friendly and accessible;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Urges the Commission and the Member States to establish a reliable system for regularly collecting statistical disaggregated and comparable data on gender-based violence, including cyberviolence; as the current lack of comparable data on instances of cyber violence makes it difficult to set clear and measurable targets to tackle these crimes, as well as potentially limiting the action law enforcement take in response to this form of violence; awaiting for the ongoing FRA related survey, and noting that one of the biggest problems is the under reporting of those crimes;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Notes thatUnderlines that instances of cyber violence can have a wide range of psychological impacts inter alia stress, concentration problems, anxiety, panic attacks, low self-esteem, depression, post- traumatic stress disorder, lack of trust and lack of sense of control, caused by cyberviolence, can have an impact on mental health which in turn can result in sever social consequences; is concerned by the effects the mental health impacts can have on young people in particular, which can not only cause a significantly detrimental decline in their schooling as well as their withdrawal from social and public life;
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Notes that the detrimental economic impacts that gender-based violence and the subsequent mental health issues it causes, can have a severe impact on victims economically, including their ability to seek employment and the financial burden imposed on them by taking legal action; taking into account therefore the estimated annual societal costs of gender based violence (290billion) exceeding the estimated annual costs of particularly serious crimes listed under art 831a; _________________ 1aEPRS interim European Added Values Assessment (EAVA) on gender-based violence, p.35
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Underlines that gender-based cyberviolence generates psychological, social and economic consequences; notes that gender-based cyberviolence affects women in different ways as a consequence of overlapping forms of discrimination based, on top of their gender, on their sexual orientation, age, race, religion or disability, among other, and recalls that an intersectional approach is crucial to understanding these specific forms of discrimination;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Calls on the Member States to give particular attention to the intersectional forms of cyber violence which can effect women belonging to groups put in a vulnerable situation as regards gender- based cyberviolence and to develop specific support services and educational programmes dedicated to those specific groups;
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Deplores the fact that gender-based cyberviolence is becoming increasingly common and reduces the participation of women in public debate which, as a consequence, erodes the democratic principles of the Union; regrets that that ‘silencing effect’ has been particularly aimed at targeting women activists, journalists and politicians with the intention of discouraging the presence of women in political life and decision- making spheres is concerned that the normalisation of online violence towards women participating in public debate actively contributes to the underreporting of these crimes and limits the engagement of young women in particular;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Condemns all types of incidents of hate crime, hate speech and accusations devoid of foundation or formulated in bad faith, both offline and online, motivated by discrimination based on any grounds, such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation; expresses concern over the hate crimes and crimes relating to incitement to discrimination or violence which occurred during the COVID- 19pandemic, leading to the stigmatisation of some particularly vulnerable individuals;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Emphasises the importance of preventive measures in combating forms of gender-based violence and recognises the central role education plays in challenging harmful gender stereotypes which support the development of non- violent relationships; calls, therefore, for an EU-wide awareness-raising campaign on gender-based cyber violence which contains, amongst other things, information targeted at educating our younger citizens that instances of cyber violence are an extension of real-world violence, on how to recognise and report forms of cyberviolence and the concept of digital consent;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11 a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure a proper application of the Directive on Combating Sexual Abuse of Children in order to raise awareness and reduce the risk of children becoming victims of onlinesexual abuse or exploitation;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11 b. Welcomes the announcement of the Commission, in its recent strategy for the victims’ rights, to launch an EU network on the prevention of gender- based violence and domestic violence and to take actions to protect the safety of victims of gender-based cybercrime by facilitating the development of a framework for cooperation between internet platforms and other stakeholders;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 c (new)
Paragraph 11 c (new)
11 c. Takes note of the call, by the advisory committee on equal opportunities between women and men of the European Commission, for legislation at European level on combatting online violence against women;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 d (new)
Paragraph 11 d (new)
11 d. Stresses the importance of the Code of practice for online platforms and leading social networks and its possible implication and/or role to play within the context of cyberviolence, notes in that context the importance of the accountability and the transparence of ICT intermediaries;
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 e (new)
Paragraph 11 e (new)
11 e. Recalls the benefits that could be expected of a dedicated legislation on gender based cyberviolence for the society, as regards the reduction in gender-based cyber violence, a greater participation of women and girls online and less discrimination, as well as a better protection of victims together with a clearly defined framework for authorities in charge, according to the dedicated European added value assessment1a; _________________ 1a EPRS study
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Underlines the need to protect, support and ensure reparation for victims of gender-based cyberviolence in particular with regards to the provision of essential psychological and legal consultation supports; recalls the importance in that context of providing support to independent civil society organisations which provide legal advice and psychological support, as well as counselling; highlights the necessity to raise awareness amongst victims about the available supports;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12 a. Calls on Member States to improve the training for practitioners and other professionals, including in social services and law enforcement agencies, in cooperation with civil society organisations, to increase the resources to support victims of gender-based cyberviolence and to establish a clear protocol to aid victims of gender-based cyberviolence, and to avoid the irre- victimization;
Amendment 359 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 2 – paragraph 4 – indent 3
Annex I – Recommendation 2 – paragraph 4 – indent 3
- ICT-related violations of privacy (including the accessing, sharing and manipulation of private data or images, including intimate data without consent, image-based sexual abuse and non- consensual disclosure of sexual images, doxxing, identity theft, hacking);
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 2 – paragraph 4 – indent 11 a (new)
Annex I – Recommendation 2 – paragraph 4 – indent 11 a (new)
Amendment 371 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 2 – paragraph 4 – indent 11 b (new)
Annex I – Recommendation 2 – paragraph 4 – indent 11 b (new)
- Cyberviolence against women is an act of gender-based violence perpetrated directly or indirectly through information and communication technologies that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women and girls, including threats of such acts, whether occurring in public or private life, or hindrances to the use of their fundamental rights and freedoms.
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 4
Annex I – Recommendation 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 4
- development of cooperation among Member States for the purposes of exchanging information, expertise and best practices, in particular through the European Crime Prevention Network (EUPCN) coordinating together with the Europol European Cybercrime Center, as well as with other related agencies such as Eurojust;
Amendment 392 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 7 a (new)
Annex I – Recommendation 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 7 a (new)
- promote cooperation between Member States, Internet intermediaries and NGOs working on the issue – such as peer learning events and public conferences;
Amendment 393 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 7 b (new)
Annex I – Recommendation 3 – paragraph 1 – indent 7 b (new)
- Take into account the Code of practice for online platforms and its possible implication and/or role to play within the context of cyberviolence;
Amendment 400 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 1
Annex I – Recommendation 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 1
- promote specific training for practitioners and professionals dealing with victims of gender-based cyberviolence, including law enforcement authorities, social, child and healthcare staff, and members of the judiciary; Union-wide training programmes could be implemented in the framework of the Justice and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programmes and together with CEPOL and the EU Judicial Training Network; in particular, emphasis should be given to secondary victimisation and how to avoid it, to the dual dimension of gender-based violence (online/offline) and to intersectional discrimination;
Amendment 417 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 4 a (new)
Annex I – Recommendation 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 4 a (new)
- promote cooperation between Member States, Internetintermediaries and NGOs working on the issue;
Amendment 419 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 4 b (new)
Annex I – Recommendation 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 4 b (new)
- develop a directory of support services, including helplines and reporting mechanisms available in individual cases of cyberviolence;
Amendment 423 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Annex I – Recommendation 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Based on the definition referred to in Recommendation 1, the criminalisation of gender-based cyberviolence should take into account the following criteria: (Criminalising gender-based cyber violence could have a deterrent effect on perpetrators due to the fear of the sanctions or the awareness that they are committing a crime).
Amendment 435 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 6 – paragraph 1
Annex I – Recommendation 6 – paragraph 1
The Commission and Member States should collect and publish disaggregated and comparable data on gender-based cyberviolence, in particular on the different forms of gender-based cyberviolence, not only based on law enforcement reports but also on women’s experiences. Those could be followed by comprehensive studies;
Amendment 437 #
Motion for a resolution
Annex I – Recommendation 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Annex I – Recommendation 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Additional recommendations could include: - the production of statistics on the prevalence and forms of cyberviolence, fostering at the same time the uniformity and comparability of data gathered by Member States, - an EU wide data collection programme, - gathering data on a regular basis for knowledge to keep up with the constant evolution in tools and technologies that can be used to perpetrate cyber-violence; - tasking agencies such as EIGE, FRA, EUROPOL, EUROJUST to collect data and information on this problem to help inform the policymaking of institutions;