36,1% of women in Cyprus who participated in a European survey stated that they had experienced physical violence or threats or sexual violence during their lifetime, reports the Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights Maria Stylianou Lottidi, noting that the survey showed that in Gender-based violence continues to have high rates in the Republic of Cyprus.
In her statement on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Ms. Lottidis also refers to the provisions of the new EU directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, which should be incorporated into the domestic legal order of states by June 14, 2027, noting that as a National Human Rights Authority it will monitors "closely and will evaluate the actions that the Cypriot state will take in order to comply effectively and in practice with the obligations deriving from the Directive".
In her statement, the Commissioner states that in our country, after the signing and ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, known as the Istanbul Convention, a rich legislative framework has been established , which on the one hand criminalizes all forms of gender-based violence, and on the other hand lists in a clear and binding manner the state's obligations in the field of prevention and the protection of victims.
"Despite the above legislative framework, the survey on violence against women published today and conducted jointly by Eurostat, FRA and the EU Agency for Gender Equality (EIGE) for all countries of the European Union showed as in the Republic of Cyprus, gender-based violence continues to have high rates", he adds.
Specifically, notes Ms. Lottidis, for our country, the research conducted in the ages of 18 to 74 showed that 36,1% of women experienced physical violence or threats or sexual violence from any person throughout their lives so far, a percentage of 30% suffered physical and sexual violence from one of their partners, while special mention is made of physical and sexual violence or threats from a third party since the age of 15 in percentage 14,6%".
He adds that "with regard to sexual harassment in the workplace throughout their lives, this amounts to a percentage of 39,9%".
The Commissioner for Administration goes on to state that the investigation "confirms that existing provisions at EU and national level have proven to be insufficient to effectively combat and prevent violence against women, in light of the particularities associated with these violent offences, therefore and the EU deemed it necessary to establish a comprehensive set of rules to effectively prevent and combat violence against women across the Union."
As a result, he adds, he proceeded with the first relevant legislative act, namely Directive (EU) 2024/1385, to combat violence against women and intimate partner violence, which aims to establish measures regarding protection and support of victims, their access to justice, enhanced data collection, prevention, coordination and cooperation, but also the definition of criminal offenses and penalties.
"A special mention of this Directive is that it introduces the offense of cyberbullying and calls on Member States to harmonize the definitions of offenses and penalties in relation to certain forms of cyberbullying, in which violence is inextricably linked to the use of information and communication technologies", he points out.
As noted in the explanatory statement of the Directive's proposal, it states, "cyberviolence is widespread, since in 2020 it was estimated that one in two young women had experienced gender-based cyberviolence, with women in general more often experiencing cyberviolence and being systematically targeted online due to of their biological or social sex, especially sexual forms of cyberbullying".
According to it, the following four criminal offenses are recorded and standardized in the Directive: (a) the non-consensual sharing of material of a personal nature or falsified material, (b) harassing cyber-surveillance, (c) cyber-harassment and (d) cyber-incitement of violence or hatred.
Furthermore, as a measure to protect the victims of cyberbullying, the immediate removal of cyberbullying/cyberharassment material and the deactivation of the perpetrator's access by issuing direct orders to hosting service providers is provided, while the latter are given the opportunity to challenge them in the courts of the Member State of the competent authority that issued the order, he adds.
The Directive, reports the Commissioner of Administration, further establishes rules regarding the rights of victims of violence against women or domestic violence, before, during and for an appropriate period of time after the criminal procedure.
Among these rights, the possibility of reporting through the Internet or other accessible technological means, the reporting of acts of violence by any third party who knows or suspects in good faith the commission of the act, the reporting by health professionals, the carrying out of individual assessments to determine both the protection needs of the victims from the perpetrator or the suspect, as well as the support needs, the issuing of urgent prohibition, restriction and protection orders, the protection of the victim's privacy and the victim's claim for compensation for damages caused by violent crimes.
"However, the most important thing is that the legal definition of victim, which is provided for in the Directive and is broader than that of the Istanbul Convention, since it includes and protects not only women who suffer violence, but also children who are witnesses", he notes.
In other words, he explains, specific measures are foreseen to support the victims, especially in the case of children, where it must be specialized and appropriate for their age and developmental needs, with absolute respect for the child's best interests.
In addition, it states, Member States must create and maintain safe spaces that allow safe contact between the child and the person exercising parental care who is a perpetrator or suspect of violence against women or domestic violence, to the extent that the exerciser the parent has the right to contact. Member States shall ensure supervision, where appropriate, by trained professionals in the best interests of the child.
This Directive (EU) 2024/1385, which came into force on 13.06.2024, should be incorporated into the internal legal order of the states by 14 June 2027.
"The institution that I represent, under our competence as the National Human Rights Authority, will closely monitor and evaluate the actions that the Cypriot state will take in order to comply effectively and in practice with the obligations arising from the Directive, will continue, and, to contribute constructively in any way necessary to the fight to eliminate violence against women and to combat gender discrimination and inequalities, because the continuous empowering women is at the same time a reflection of the protection of children for a fairer and healthier society", concludes Ms. Lottides.
Source: KYPE
