By ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ (GREEK) TÜRKÇE (TURKISH)
Every year on (yesterday’s) International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women we hear numbers, statistics, wishful thinking, high-sounding announcements, what has been done, what WILL be done, what should have been done, what could have been done, accompanied by the necessary aphorisms, tears and inspirational quotes for a future society where men are NOT the number one cause of death of women.
Every year we hear more or less the same thing without anything practically changing. Sorry, note that as a mistake. Something does change. The number of abused, raped and murdered women.
According to Police statistics, in Cyprus in 2022-2023, 999 incidents of violence against women were recorded (here the average tough guy comments on social media “not even a thousand, I wonder why you make an issue out of it”), in 2021-2023 147 rapes and 20 attempted rapes were reported, while in 2014-2024 we had 41 femicides. Globally, 35% of the world’s women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence at some point in their lives, 47% of female murders are committed by an intimate partner or family member, and 98% of victims of sexual exploitation are women. The figures are inexorable, and of course, so is the reality that they record, although we tend as a people to be more shocked by the numbers than by the actual incidents when they happen around us.
On the occasion of the International Day (which is always offered as an opportunity to remember issues that should normally never leave the public debate), the Advisory Committee for the Prevention and Combating of Violence in the Family (SEPCBO) has reiterated for the umpteenth time the need to regulate – at last – the issue of electronic monitoring of protection orders, which it had already called for at a meeting of the Human Rights Committee last April. “The absence of monitoring mechanisms for protective orders to take immediate action in case of non-compliance is a factor in the escalation of cases of gender/domestic violence, despite the fact that there is a strong legal framework, the inability to ensure the protection/safety of victims of violence leaves them at the mercy of the perpetrators,” SEPCBO said in its statement.
On the part of the government, both the Minister of Justice Marios Hartsiotis and President Christodoulides himself announced the (pilot) application “Elpis” [Editor’s note: ‘Elpis’ is Greek for hope], designed specifically for victims of domestic violence, who are in danger and need to contact the Police immediately without being noticed by the perpetrator, with the prospect of full operation in the first six months of 2025. Let’s skip the fact that “Elpis” was first announced in 2021(!) and it took them three years to get it up and running (IF of course it launches on time because you never know with them) while the government announced twice in the summer that it will start its pilot operation soon (maybe we give a different definition to the adverb “soon”) so you don’t call me a pessimist (can you blame me though?).
Certainly the enlistment of technology in addressing gender-based violence is welcome but it is not a panacea. In fact, in Cyprus it may simply prove to be as useless as so many other things (we are talking about the country in which anything with e- at the front fails even more often than the morale of those in power). This is because technology is handled by people. And on the Island of Saints [Editor’s note: reference to Cyprus but used ironically in this instance] the biggest problem when it comes to gender-based violence is the people behind the panic buttons, call centers or the electronic system for monitoring orders. Unless police officers with sensitivity, empathy and knowledge of how to deal with such incidents are placed in key positions, any technological means will be rendered useless. When a Chief’s circular order is necessary in 2024 to enforce to police officers to respond immediately to fucking emergency calls, you realise that no panic button is going to save a woman from her raging ex if the cop on the other end of the line has gone for a piss and there is someone incompetent in his place.
It is also not enough to intervene immediately, but it is necessary to treat the victims of gender violence in a correct, fair and serious way, as they are often forced to suffer not only abuse, but also indifference, suspicion, condescension and in extreme cases even ridicule by the authorities.
The announcements are all well and good (alas, they have become commonplace), but the problem of women’s abuse is deeper and has to do mainly with our anachronistic mentality that perpetuates outdated stereotypes, maintains male-dominated closed clubs and entrenched rights, fosters the gender gap, devalues anything female and encourages sexist and even misogynistic discourse.
If this fucking mentality doesn’t change there is no “Hope”.
This article was originally published on 26.11.24
Source: ‘HOPE’ WANTED
