EU Parliament urges EU-wide, consent-based definition of rape

The European Parliament approved a resolution calling for an EU-wide definition of rape based on the absence of freely given, informed consent, stating that silence or lack of resistance cannot be taken as consent and that past relationships or marriage do not imply consent. The European Commission is urged to draft legislation, which would then need approval from member states. The move aligns with the Istanbul Convention and follows a split among member states, with 17 already using consent-based definitions and others still relying on force-based criteria. The vote was 447 in favour, 160 against, and 43 abstentions, and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights notes about 5% of EU women have experienced rape since age 15.