BRUSSELS

One in three women in Europe has experienced gender-based violence, the European Commission said Tuesday.

In a statement, the commission highlighted that many women have suffered sexual harassment at work or had violent partners during their lifetime.

"When you take into account that this violence continues to be under-reported, these numbers make for even more grim reading – this violence must stop," the statement said.

It highlighted the EU’s ongoing efforts to protect survivors, including providing more shelters, 24/7 helplines, and safer reporting mechanisms.

The EU has recently made legal strides to combat gender-based violence. In May 2024, the bloc adopted its first comprehensive law on violence against women and domestic violence.

A new strategy for gender equality, to be presented in 2026, will place eliminating violence against women at its core, the commission said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed on social media that adopting laws last year was only the beginning. "To ensure every woman can live without fear," she added.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said gender-based violence has no place in a free and equal society.

"No woman or girl should have to live in fear," she wrote on the US social media platform X, calling for an end to all forms of violence and affirming the right of every woman to live in safety and dignity.

Meanwhile, the EU Council building lit up orange in support of UN Women's campaign to end gender-based violence.