MEPs demand rights for crime victims

Every year in the European Union some 75 million people fall victim to crime. It can be a shocking experience and the EU wants to ensure that victims, wherever the crime, have basic rights. At least they'll have more information, they'll be subject to the same procedures, with the same criteria. There is, of course, a long way to go to that stage but certainly their rights will be better protected, on an equal footing between Member States. With almost one in four women having been victims, a convention on gender-related violence has been opened for signature by the Council of Europe, who produced this video. MEPs have asked for a directive and aren't pleased the Commission has mixed it with one on general victims' rights. They hoped to turn this directive on the rights of victims in criminal proceedings into a directive on gender-based violence but you cannot make a square out of a circle! The directive already has the agreement of Member States. With the agreement of the Justice and Women's Rights Committees, it can be brought into effect quickly. They passed it by 79 votes to one. Now when you have to make a report you can be more sure that you'll be treated differently, or maybe in a specific way or they'll give you some support – psychological if you need it or translation – and you feel safer that there's some legislation behind you. It's been estimated that crime costs victims and society some €233 billion a year yet many crimes are not reported because victims are frightened. It's frightening to be a victim of crime in any circumstances but particularly if you're not in your country. Not all crimes make the front page. For many victims it's those that go unremarked and sometimes unpunished that are the hardest the bear. The aim of the directive is to ensure those victims' rights are upheld.

EuroparlTV video ID: eed054c4-6fe3-4e34-9634-a08a0117675d