The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights published their report “Places of Care = Places of Safety? Violence against persons with disabilities in institutions” on 27 November 2025, based on research developed across all EU Member States and FRA observer candidate countries. The report sheds light on the violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions, highlighting the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at higher risk of experiencing it, as provided by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Violence against persons with disabilities in institutions remains widespread, highly underreported and represents an important issue to tackle. Acts of violence, are defined in the report as being a wide spectrum of exploitative, abusive and degrading acts which undermine EU and EU Member States’ international and regional obligations, especially the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD focuses on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons with disabilities, obligating States to ensure the upholding of the rights to life, freedom from violence, autonomy, liberty, and security within institutions. Alongside these rights and freedoms, the prohibition of torture, its prevention and investigation are enshrined in the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 

The above-mentioned documents, and more, constitute a robust legal framework within which each European State has the duty to comply.

This report strives to support national authorities in their efforts to uphold their legal obligations to protect against, prevent and respond to violence against persons with disabilities in institutions. 

The report’s evidence and recommendations are based on sociolegal analysis that draws on data deriving from desk research in the 27 Member States and in Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, and on qualitative research from 10 Member States (Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Portugal; Slovakia and Slovenia).