New Survey Shows Most Violence Against Women Goes Unreported Across Europe

A comprehensive European Union study reveals that approximately one-third of women experience physical or sexual violence during their lives. The research shows that the vast majority of these incidents are never reported to authorities, with only about 11% of cases involving non-partners and 6% involving intimate partners being brought to police attention.

BRUSSELS – A comprehensive new study has revealed alarming statistics about violence against women throughout the European Union, showing that approximately one-third of women experience physical or sexual assault during their lifetimes, yet the overwhelming majority of these incidents never reach law enforcement.

Research conducted by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) working alongside the European Institute for Gender Equality discovered that merely 11.3% of women who suffered physical or sexual violence from non-intimate partners contacted police, while an even smaller 6.1% reported abuse committed by intimate partners.

The study identified several barriers preventing women from seeking help, including feelings of shame, self-blame, fear of consequences, and lack of confidence in law enforcement agencies. Researchers also found that many women had insufficient knowledge about available support services or couldn’t access them easily.

Data from across EU member nations showed that 30.7% of women reported experiencing violence, representing a modest improvement from 33% documented in the initial survey conducted in 2012. The research also uncovered widespread instances of psychological abuse, economic control, and digital harassment.

“Violence against women is a fundamental rights violation,” stated FRA Director Sirpa Rautio. “Member states have clear obligations to prevent violence, protect victims and ensure access to justice, and these findings show there is still urgent work to do.”

The survey results revealed dramatic differences between countries, with rates spanning from 57.1% in Finland down to 11.9% in Bulgaria.

Interestingly, Nordic countries renowned for gender equality showed surprisingly high violence rates – Finland led at 57.1%, followed by Sweden at 52.5% and Denmark at 47.5%, while nations with traditionally lower gender equality rankings showed more complicated reporting patterns.

Researchers refer to this phenomenon as the “Nordic paradox,” suggesting it may indicate genuine differences in women’s experiences or varying cultural attitudes toward reporting violence and defining inappropriate sexual behavior across different societies.

This same paradoxical pattern appeared in FRA’s original 2012 violence survey.

The current research involved interviews with almost 115,000 women between ages 18 and 74, conducted from September 2020 through March 2024.

European Commission officials expressed serious concern about the survey results.

“The scale of unreported violence shows systems must be improved and victims must be supported,” the Commission stated, emphasizing that fighting violence against women and domestic abuse represents “a core priority for the EU.”