Greece confronts surge in femicides amid calls for legal reform
Greece is grappling with a concerning rise in femicides, which are murders of women committed due to their gender, warns the portal ProtoThema. Since the start of the year, 12 such crimes have been reported in the country. One woman was killed by a former partner just days ahead of a court hearing for a restraining order.
On Monday in the town of Agrinio, located in western Greece, a tragic incident unfolded. A 43-year-old woman named Dora was shot dead by her former partner. The man had been previously accused of domestic violence, and a court hearing for a potential restraining order against him was scheduled for the coming days.
The crime shocked the public, highlighted the pervasive issue of domestic violence, and underscored the inadequacy 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 this year. In 2023, the women's rights organization Diotima in Greece reports 10 femicides, while the European Observatory on Femicide notes 14 such cases.
Increasing number of women report cases of violence
Experts and activists criticize the Greek justice system for its inadequate protection of victims of violence. Natasa Makrydima, a psychologist at a women's centre in Agrinio, emphasizes that more women are coming forward to report incidents of violence to authorities. Yet, the legal measures in place often prove insufficient.
Specialists call for urgently strengthening legal protections for victims and accelerating judicial actions. They assert that more effective mechanisms are essential to prevent the escalation of violence and future 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 throughout the European Union. However, experience shows that its provisions are not always put into practice.
