Distribution of the societal costs of gender-based violence in the EU in 2021

In 2021, gender-based violence cost the European Union an estimated €290 billion annually. Of this total, 67 percent—approximately €194 billion per year—was spent on criminal justice costs alone. Health and social services accounted for another 26 percent of the overall costs.

Femicides in the EU

Femicides, the most extreme form of gender-based violence, remains common in the continent. In 2022, 800 femicides were recorded across the EU alone, with Italy reporting the highest number of cases. However, because criminal law remains a national competence, differences in how member states classify and report these crimes make cross-country comparisons particularly challenging. Outside the EU, Russia recorded the highest number of this type of crimes with a total of 1,174. 

The rise of cyber gender violence

In addition to physical violence, the rise of social media has led to a surge in a new form of psychological violence, such as cyber harassment. This includes behaviors like unsolicited sexually explicit emails, inappropriate or offensive advances on social media, and threats of physical or sexual violence via email, texts, or messages. For instance, in the UK, a 2022 survey revealed that 39 percent of women had experienced some form of cyberstalking and 50 percent some form of cyber harassment.