In sexual abuse and harassment in the areas of sport, culture, work and everyday life, as well as encouraging such incidents not to remain hidden, was the focus of the online event «Breaking the Silence» organised by the Eurogroup of the SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, with the most vocal participation of Sophia Bekatorou.
The event, which, according to the announcement of SYRIZA, had a great response, was attended by Mrs. Bekatorou (who appeared for the first time at an event after her personal revelations), the MEP of SYRIZA Elena Kountoura, the MEP of NW and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, Elisa Wozemberg, the parliamentary representative of SYRIZA, Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou, as well as the Vice-President of the European Parliament and the leader of the SYRIZA MEPs, Dimitris Papadimoulis.
«It is extremely necessary to have a discussion on what needs to change in stereotypes, in education, in legislation, in family culture,» Papadimoulis stressed.
Interpreting her decision to speak, Ms. Bekatorou said that «as a victim of such trauma, I felt that at some point I had to make the decision, through my experience, to protect other children.».
«Through sport - added the Olympic champion - I found the courage and the strength to stand up to a man, who has much more power than me, and to pick up the pieces of myself for to function constructively in society as a whole and not in a self-destructive way».
Ms Voseburg insisted on the need to «to change the attitudes that develop in two ‘nurseries’, the family and the school».
Elena Kountoura stressed the need for the Council to ratify the Istanbul Convention, as «it is the first legally binding text to address gender-based violence and punish the perpetrators».
Finally, Mrs Xenogiannakopoulou spoke on workplaces and the fear that exists, particularly in times of economic and social crisis.
«There is the fear of the worker losing his job, while there is inequality of relationships and abuse of power in the workplace», he said.
As the speakers stressed, the issue of sexual harassment and abuse is one that «requires a common and horizontal approach to eliminate it and is not open to political debate».
