03/10/2025 Session
“Sexual violence against men and boys is a reality but also a hidden phenomenon,” PACE underlined today, stressing that it must be prevented and combated, “giving priority to the needs of all survivors”.
Adopting a resolution based on the report by Edmunds Cepurītis (Latvia, SOC), the Assembly deplored the “lack of comprehensive and disaggregated data” and the persistent under-reporting of such violence, often due to “feelings of shame, fear and isolation”. It stressed that while all victims face stigma and victim-blaming, the specificities of violence against men and boys, including different perceptions of masculinity, must be addressed.
The resolution calls on Council of Europe states to collect and publish disaggregated data, support research on this form of violence, and raise awareness to counter the “social discourse” and cultural assumptions that contribute to “stigmatisation, including harmful masculinities, structural homophobia, and traditional gendered roles”.
States should also provide age-appropriate sexuality education, create victim-centred reporting mechanisms, and ensure mandatory reporting in certain professions.
Finally, PACE invited the Lanzarote Committee to dedicate a future edition of the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (18 November) to preventing and combating sexual violence against boys.