Europe

Stories about any of the 44 countries on the European continent.

‘I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again’: From the Daughter of Gisèle Pelicot, a New Memoir on Surviving Private Rape and a Public Rape Trial

Caroline Darian is Gisèle Pelicot’s daughter. Throughout the highly publicized trial in France, which ignited a global conversation about sexual assault and submission, Darian was a forceful advocate for her mother and for the rights of sexual assault survivors the world over.

An excerpt from I’ll Never Call Him Dad Again, Darian’s new memoir: “Our family has been torn in two. … I’ve heard nothing from Mum since Christmas. I miss her. I decide to give her a call. When I hear her voice, I start crying. She soon follows suit. Tears have become our default language, because what we’re going through is beyond words. Eventually, I manage to express myself: I want to be with her, to stand by her. We talk for the next two hours. At the end, we promise each other we’ll stick together from now on. And that neither will sit in judgement of the other.”

Caroline Herschel Was England’s First Female Professional Astronomer, but Still Lacks Name Recognition Two Centuries Later

Most people today haven’t heard of Caroline Herschel, the first English professional female astronomer. Despite having several astronomical objects—and even a satellite—named after her, she doesn’t have the same name recognition as the other astronomers of her time. Her story reflects not only the priorities of astronomy but also how credit is assigned in the field.

Why Weren’t Women Allowed to Act in Shakespeare’s Plays?

Numerous English theatergoers considered seeing women on the public stage for the first time a pivotal moment.

The role of Desdemona, the devoted, loving wife murdered by her husband in Othello, wasn’t performed by a woman until 1660—about six decades after Shakespeare wrote the play. This is because when Shakespeare was writing for the early modern stage, young men and boys performed all the women’s parts.

Emmy Noether Faced Sexism and Anti-Semitism. Over 100 Years Later, Her Contributions to Ring Theory Still Influence Modern Math

When Albert Einstein wrote an obituary for Emmy Noether in 1935, he described her as a “creative mathematical genius” who—despite “unselfish, significant work over a period of many years”—did not get the recognition she deserved.

Noether made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics at a time when women were barred from academia and when Jewish people like herself faced persecution in Nazi Germany, where she lived.

Ms. Global: Spanish Police Target Trafficking Ring, A Historic Ruling in the African Court of Human And People’s Rights, and More

and

The U.S. ranks as the 19th most dangerous country for women, 11th in maternal mortality, 30th in closing the gender pay gap, 75th in women’s political representation, and painfully lacks paid family leave and equal access to health care. But Ms. has always understood: Feminist movements around the world hold answers to some of the U.S.’s most intractable problems. Ms. Global is taking note of feminists worldwide.

This week: news from Japan, Tanzania, Guatemala, and more.

The Witch Hunts of Abortion Providers: How Reproductive Care Became a Crime

St Walburga of Eichstatt with Nuns

In 1618, in the German town of Eichstätt, Anna Harding was interrogated repeatedly about her life and abortion practice, sometimes under torture.

Harding worked as a healer for decades. She and other women like her had their ordinary medical practices transformed into evidence of magic by misogynist fantasies of male interrogators and a larger cultural shift that sought to control female sexuality in the interests of Church and state. Abortion became associated with witchcraft because it was a routine part of women’s lives and healing practices.

USAID’s History Shows Decades of Good Work on Behalf of America’s Global Interests

The Trump administration’s sudden dismantling of nearly all foreign aid, including the work carried out by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has upended the government agency’s longtime strategic role in implementing American foreign policy.

USAID is a government agency that, for more than 63 years, has led the United States’ foreign aid work on disaster recovery, poverty reduction and democratic reforms in many developing and middle-income countries. USAID’s budget has always been small—but USAID’s projects have had an outsized effect on the world.

Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation: N.M.’s Deb Haaland Is Running for Governor; Stacey Abrams to Keynote Democracy Solutions Summit

Weekend Reading for Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation. 

This week’s Weekend Reading includes a piece by RepresentWomen staff members on women and the presidency, women and 2026 races for the Senate, Deb Haaland’s run for governor, women and mayoral races, the U.S. women’s soccer team, losses for women in the German elections, deep fake technology and women candidates, and a link to register for RepresentWomen’s virtual Democracy Solutions Summit from 3 to 5 p.m. EST, March 4-6, featuring an incredible lineup of women experts!

Wombs for Hire: Inside Europe’s Underground Surrogacy Networks

and

The legal landscape of surrogacy remains a complex patchwork across nations, with some countries embracing it while others maintain strict prohibitions. This inconsistency in regulations has created gray areas.

Scientific research highlights the possibility of abuse arising from gaps in legal frameworks and disputes, whether surrogacy is legal or not. It points to unethical practices such as trafficking of women, coercion of both surrogates and prospective parents by agencies, lack of respect for bodily autonomy or informed consent, ‘sham’ procedures and multiple embryo exchanges.

Amid this contentious landscape, the European Parliament Council took decisive action on Jan. 23, 2024, reaching a provisional agreement to classify exploitative surrogacy practices as human trafficking. The measure was formally adopted on May 27, 2024. The new framework imposes strict penalties on those who exploit women through forced surrogacy or deceptive practices, while establishing comprehensive support systems for victims. E.U. member states must implement these protections into their national legislation within two years.

Journalist Cecilia Sala Released From Iran’s Evin Prison After Being Detained for 21 Days

Last week, Iran confirmed the arrest and detention of journalist Cecilia Sala—a rare official statement coming from Iranian authorities. Sala is in Evin Prison, a facility synonymous with the systemic repression of dissent.

At Women Press Freedom, we have called for international condemnation and for European and international leaders to take immediate action toward Sala’s release.