Greece's growing crisis: A spotlight on femicide surge
Greece is grappling with a troubling number of femicides, which refer to the killings of women based on their gender, the ProtoThema portal warns. In the country, 12 such crimes have been recorded since the beginning of the year. One woman was murdered by an ex-partner a few days before a court hearing for a restraining order.
On Monday in Agrinio, western Greece, a tragic incident occurred. A 43-year-old woman named Dora was shot and killed by her former partner. This man had previously been accused of domestic violence, and a court hearing regarding a potential restraining order against him was set to take place in a few days.
The crime shocked public opinion, highlighted the problem of domestic violence, and brought attention to the ineffectiveness of measures taken to protect victims — writes the eKathimerini portal on Wednesday.
According to the ProtoThema portal, there have already been 12 femicides in Greece since the beginning of the year. In 2023, according to the women's rights organisation Diotima in Greece, there have been 10 femicides. The European Observatory on Femicide reports 14 such cases.
Increasing number of women report violence cases
Experts and activists criticise the Greek justice system for its inadequate protection of violence victims. Natasa Makrydima, a psychologist from a women's centre in Agrinio, emphasises that an increasing number of women report violence cases to authorities, yet the existing legal measures often prove insufficient.
Specialists are calling for urgently strengthening legal protection for victims and accelerating legal proceedings. They advocate for the implementation of more effective mechanisms to prevent the escalation of violence and further tragedies.
Since October 2023, the Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention), a document aimed at combating violence against women and domestic violence, has been in force across the entire European Union. Experience shows that its provisions are not always implemented effectively.
