Story perspectives

EU adopts 24-Hour Victim Aid; Italy pushes consent rape law

4/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

The European Parliament approved a resolution on 28 April 2026 with 447 votes in favour, 160 against and 43 abstentions.
The resolution requires EU-wide free 24-hour emergency centres that provide medical, psychological and legal aid to victims.
Swedish MEP Evin Incir led the cross-party initiative that drafted the consent-based definition.
Italy is moving toward a consent-based rape law, joining France, Finland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands that have already enacted such statutes.

History

Historical Context

In 2013 Sweden revised its penal code to require explicit consent for sexual acts, building on a history that criminalised marital rape in 1965 and added non-consensual acts while unconscious in 2005. Statistics Sweden recorded a 15 % drop in reported rapes within two years. The European Parliament’s 28 April 2026 resolution cites Sweden’s model as the basis for a continent-wide shift toward consent-based statutes.

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Story summary

The European Parliament approved a resolution on 28 April 2026 with 447 votes in favour, 160 against and 43 abstentions.
The resolution requires EU-wide free 24-hour emergency centres that provide medical, psychological and legal aid to victims.
Swedish MEP Evin Incir led the cross-party initiative that drafted the consent-based definition.
Italy is moving toward a consent-based rape law, joining France, Finland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands that have already enacted such statutes.

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