Victims' Rights Directive

The Victims' Rights Directive (Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime) aims to ensure that victims of crime, including survivors of FGM, receive appropriate information, support and protection and are able to participate in criminal proceedings. Member States are required to ensure that victims are recognised and treated in a respectful, sensitive, tailored, professional and non-discriminatory manner, in all contacts with victim support or restorative justice services or a competent authority, operating within the context of criminal proceedings. This legislation makes note of the specific needs of women victims of violence and identifies female genital mutilation as a form of such gender-based violence.