On January 9th, staff from Victim Support Europe (VSE) and France Victimes met with MEP Irène Tolleret of Renew Europe Group to discuss the current state of victim support in France and Europe. Tolleret, who is active in gender equality issues and the elimination of violence against women, was engaged in conversation around key topics in the landscape of victim support.
Productive discussions were held in regards to the work of the European Parliament on legislation related to victims’ rights, namely the Victims’ Rights Directive (VRD) and the Violence Against Women Directive (VAW), with a view to seeing how France Victimes and VSE can support the work of MEPs in this crucial matter. Best practices in victim support in a French context were discussed, along with remaining challenges and how best to address them.
The upcoming 2024 EU elections were also spotlighted. Meaningful dialogue took place regarding VSE’s ongoing campaign to call attention to the need for comprehensive victim support at a European level.
Finally, major ambitions for the future were considered, including:
- A new general directive on victims’ fundamental rights
- A vision for victim support across all EU countries
- The introduction of a European abduction alert for minors
VSE would like to thank both Irène Tolleret and France Victimes for engaging in such productive dialogue. We hope that discussions such as these aid in the development of a victim-centred future across Europe and beyond.
