The European Parliament has called for a unified, consent-based definition of rape across the 27-member bloc, marking a renewed push to strengthen protections against sexual violence.
Lawmakers recently voted overwhelmingly in favour of the motion in Strasbourg, drawing loud applause inside the chamber. The move places pressure on the European Commission to propose legislation that clearly defines rape as sex without free and informed consent.
The demand follows a gap in earlier reforms. In 2024, the European Union adopted its first bloc-wide law targeting violence against women, criminalising offences such as female genital mutilation, forced marriage, cyberbullying, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images. However, rape was excluded after member states failed to agree on a common legal definition.
MEPs argue that omission undermines efforts to tackle sexual violence consistently across Europe. They now insist that any future law must centre on consent, rather than force.
The resolution also references Gisèle Pelicot, whose case has become a rallying point in France and beyond. Her former husband, Dominique Pelicot, was convicted in 2024 after drugging her and facilitating repeated assaults while she was unconscious.
Lawmakers say the case exposes the shortcomings of legal definitions that rely on proving force instead of recognising the absence of consent.
While the European Commission has welcomed the Parliament’s position, it has yet to confirm whether it will introduce a legislative proposal.
