About half of all women in the European Union have been sexually harassed at least once since their 15th birthday, according to the   European Council. In response, the EU has launched several measures to better protect women and girls from sexual assault. On October 1, 2023, it acceded to the Istanbul Convention , the world's most comprehensive set of rules for combating gender-based violence. In 2024, the bloc adopted a directive that criminalizes sexual harassment in the workplace,