Protecting Vulnerable Victims: An Analysis of the EU Legal Framework for Victims of Gender-Based Violence

Abstract

vague minimum standards, uneven implementation, and a primarily security-driven rationale rooted in Article 82(2)c TFEU.

Palabras clave: victims’ rights, domestic violence, EU law, Directive

This chapter critically examines the European Union’s evolving legal framework for protecting victims of gender-based violence, situating it within broader efforts to harmonise victims’ rights across Member States. It traces the EU’s late entry into the field, beginning with limited provisions under the Citizenship Directive, and highlights the subsequent development of key horizontal instruments such as the Victims’ Rights Directive, the European Protection Order Directive, and the Regulation on civil protection measures. While these instruments mark significant progress, their effectiveness is constrained by vague minimum standards, uneven implementation, and a primarily security-driven rationale rooted in Article 82(2)c TFEU.