Victims of crime: improved legal protection and support systems

On Thursday, with 440 in favour, 49 against and 84 abstentions, MEPs endorsed a modernisation of the legal framework that applies to victims of crime. Key improvements include:

strengthening the rights of victims during criminal proceedings, including through information and emotional support at court premises, with a new right to privacy and non-disclosure of a victim’s personal data to the offender, legal aid for the duration of the trial for victims with insufficient means, and accelerating the payment of compensation;
setting up helplines to provide information, support and referrals to relevant services, available online, via applications, and an EU-wide 116 006 phone number;
introducing the possibility to report criminal offences online andensuring that people whose liberty is restricted, for example non-EU citizens in immigration-related facilities, or people in institutional care settings (such as care institutions for the elderly or persons with disabilities for example) can also effectively report a crime. Third party reporting through civil society organisations should also be facilitated;
support services for victims with specific needs, based on individual assessment by trained professionals, and specific support and access to healthcare services for victims of sexual violence, such as emergency contraception, post-exposure prophylaxis treatment, testing for sexually transmitted infections and access to abortion;
ensuring the highest standards of protection and support for child victims, by adopting a child friendly and age-appropriate approach, and including various services (e.g. medical examination, psychological support, video recording of testimonies, administrative assistance) if possible, within the same premises.

Quotes

Co-rapporteur for the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee Lucia Yar (Renew, Slovakia) said: “This directive delivers real progress for victims, including the most vulnerable, such as victims of violence and children. We have turned an outdated framework into modern legislation that strengthens victims’ rights, improves protection and closes key gaps in access to support. At a time when some member states are weakening protections and changing laws in ways that favour perpetrators, the European Parliament stands firmly behind victims. Our message is clear: victims’ rights are not an afterthought - they are at the heart of justice.”

Co-rapporteur for the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee Javier Zarzalejos (EPP, Spain) said: “Around 70 million people across the EU become victims of crime each year. This reform is a major step forward in ensuring these victims receive more protection, and better support and equal rights, including in the digital environment and in cases involving particularly vulnerable victims such as children affected by online sexual abuse.”

Chair of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee Lina Galvez (S&D, Spain) added: “We welcome this historic agreement, which also guarantees access to information and sexual and reproductive health care for victims of sexual violence, including abortion care in accordance with national law. Women who are victims of rape, unlike men, are at risk of becoming pregnant. It would be clearly discriminatory not to consider the possibility that women may need recourse to such services in these extreme circumstances. This is an important precedent.”

Next steps

The draft directive still needs to be formally adopted by Council. It will then be published in the Official journal before entering into force. Member states will have 2 years to implement it.