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Gender violence in Greece: Reported cases of murdered women to be on the rise

Violence against women. © Tumisu via Pixabay, 2019.

Introduction: The rise of reported cases of violence against women during the pandemic

Since the beginning of 2021, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gre

ece has been facing a high number of killings of women. During and after the continuous lockdowns, there has been an unprecedented number of reported cases of domestic violence in Greek homes. The situation has since been escalating and has triggered a large debate on whether the term ‘femicide’ should be included in the Greek penal code. The growth in reported killings can be traced back to the groundbreaking confessions of the gold medalist Sofia Bekatorou, when she brought accusations of sexual assault against a high-ranking official of the Hellenic Sailing Federation almost 20 years after the alleged assault. Despite her confession helping to fuel the power of the national #MeToo movement in Greece, the following months marked the killing of numerous women on a country-wide scale.

Helena Smith, ‘Calls for femicide to become separate crime in Greece mount as two more women killed’ (The Guardian, 21 December 2021) <https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/dec/21/greece-femicide-crime-two-more-women-killed> accessed 5 September 2022.

Ibid.

Konstantina Manta, ‘Femicides: What is happening in Greece?’ (By Arcadia, 30 November 2021) <https://www.byarcadia.org/post/femicides-what-is-happening-in-greece> accessed 5 September 2021.

Ibid.

The victims and their stories: Identifying patterns

Deaths in 2021

In January 2021, a 54-year-old woman was stabbed by her partner and found dead due to an immense loss of blood three days after the event. In April 2021, a 28-year-old woman, together with her brother, were killed by her ex-partner against whom a restraining order had already been imposed. A month later, Greek society was shaken after the brutal killing of a 20-year-old woman. Her husband was publicly mourning the death of his wife and mother of their 11-month-old baby where he had been explaining to the authorities and the media that they had fallen victims of a violent armed robbery. Thirty-seven days later, he confessed that he killed her and that he was the one who hanged their family dog in order to convince the authorities that he was also a victim of an armed robbery. He later stated that the victim had become violent after the birth of their daughter. In June 2021, a 64-year-old woman was shot outside her house by her ex-partner. In July 2021, a 26-year-old woman was pushed off a cliff by her partner after a fight they had. He later stated that during their argument in the car she had not been paying attention to the GPS and was checking her messages instead. Two weeks later, a 31-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her husband. In August 2021, a 43-year-old woman and mother of three was killed by her estranged husband following eight bullets to her chest and head. Five days later, a 47-year-old and mother of two was shot twice by a man inside her pharmacy. During the same month, a 55-year-old woman was murdered with a knife by her partner in their apartment. In September 2021, the body of a 42-year-old woman was found covered in cement in the garden of her house. She was a divorced mother of three children and was declared missing in May 2020. She was a victim of domestic violence both by her ex-husband and her following partner. Later that month, a 32-year-old woman was shot twice by her ex-partner while she was parking her car in Rhodes. Her ex-partner had a history of violent and abusive behaviour with his ex-wife who had imposed a restraining order against him. In October 2021, a 75-year-old woman was found dead in

Marina Mandakaki, ‘The 54-year-old woman who was murdered in Meskla had fourteen injuries on her body’ (ERT news, 19 January 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/perifereiakoi-stathmoi/chania/dekatesseris-kakoseis-efere-sto-soma-tis-i-54chroni-gynaika-poy-dolofonithike-sta-meskla/> accessed 6 September 2022.

Dafni Skalioni, ‘Femicide in Greece in 2021: A blacklist that has no end’ (ERT news, 10 December 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/mono-sto-ertgr/oi-gynaikoktonies-stin-ellada-to-2021-mia-mayri-lista-poy-teleiomo-den-echei/> accessed 6 September 2022.

Ibid

‘Sweet Waters: The Assassination Chronicles- The Pilot’s Moves Frame-By-Frame’ (ERT news, 18 June 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/glyka-nera-to-chroniko-tis-dolofonias-kare-kare-oi-kiniseis-toy-pilotoy/> accessed 6 September 2022.

‘Murder of a 64-year-old-woman in Agia Varvara: The ex-husband is wanted as a suspect’ (ERT news, 4 June 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/dolofonia-64chronis-stin-agia-varvara-anaziteitai-os-ypoptos-o-proin-syzygos/> accessed 6 September 2021.

Folegandros: The 30-year-old to the prosecutor of Naxos for intentional homicide’ (ERT news, 18 July 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/folegandros-katigoroymenos-gia-anthropoktonia-apo-prothesi-o-30chronos-apo-pnigmo-o-thanatos-tis-26chronis/> accessed 6 September 2021.

Skalioni (n 6).

her house due to suffocation, while her husband was also found there after he had hung himself. At the end of the month, a 48-year-old woman and mother of four was stabbed eight times by her estranged husband after he hit her with his motorcycle and chased her around the complex of rental properties where she was working. In November 2021, a 48-year-old woman was stabbed twenty-three times to death by her husband who later explained to the authorities that he thought she was cheating on him. In December 2021, a 36-year-old woman was murdered by her husband’s bare hands at their house while their two underage children were sleeping. Three days later, a 29-year-old woman and mother of three was beaten to death by her husband. The article that provided this list of murdered women in 2021 was edited on December 13th, 2021 as one more woman was killed. She was 55-years-old and shot by her ex-husband while she was entering a bakery shop. He later told the authorities that he was blinded by jealousy and could not live without her after their separation.

Deaths in 2022

During 2022, the list became longer. In February 2022, a 79-year-old woman was killed by her husband during an argument they had. In March 2022, a 41-year-old woman was shot by her partner while they were at a restaurant. During the same month, an 83-year-old woman was beaten to death by her grandson. In May 2022, a 43-year-old woman was strangled to death by her husband after she had asked him to separate. On the same month, a 77-year-old woman was murdered by her son. In June 2022, a 73-year-old woman was murdered by her son and was found dead with a bag tied around her head and a knife next to her body, while another 59-year-old woman was murdered by her husband shortly after she had filed a divorce. At the end of the month, a 46-year-old woman was stabbed and murdered by her husband inside their house. In July 2022, a 67-year-old woman was beaten to death by her son. At the end of the month, a 56-year-old woman was murdered by her husband with a knife after she had asked him to separate. In August 2022, a 41-year-old woman and mother of three children was stabbed to death by her husband.

Ibid

Skalioni (n 6).

Katerina Karavia, ‘Call them by their name: 12 femicides in 7 months’ (Ethnos, 2 August 2022) <https://www.ethnos.gr/greece/article/218534/pestesmetoonomatoys12gynaikoktoniesmesase7mhnes> accessed 7 September 2022.

‘Femicide in Zakynthos: He killed her after the second complaint of domestic violence’ (Athens voice, 1 August 2022) <https://www.athensvoice.gr/epikairotita/ellada/767318/gunaikoktonia-sti-zakuntho-51hronos-xulokopise-kai-mahairose-thanasima-ti-40hroni-suzugo-tou/> accessed 8 September 2022.

Looking at the victims and their stories, there are certain patterns that may be identified. The profiles of all victims are highly similar. All victims are women, of all ages and murdered by a man with whom they had a close relationship, such as a partner or a family bond. In the above mentioned cases, the perpetrators are of all ages, which depicts the existence of a structural problem across all generations.; A repetitive pattern that appears in certain of the cases where the perpetrators made subsequent oral statements publicly, is the occurrence of victim-blaming. In essence, through victim-blaming the perpetrators blame the victim for being the one at fault and therefore responsible in an indirect way for their suffering. In other cases, the feeling of jealousy is utilised by the perpetrators as an excuse for their actions. Many women that wanted to separate from their partners and leave their abusive relationships have been found dead shortly after. All these examples show the general dominating mentality that women are “owned” by men who are capable of ending their lives if their partner wants to leave them. Other examples show a series of events of domestic violence which eventually escalates into the killings of women. All the cases entail brutal acts of violence that inflicted a severe amount of suffering on the victims before they passed away.

Another pattern that is identified among the above mentioned cases, is the position of the law enforcement authorities. In certain cases, the victims had tried to contact the appropriate authorities while seeking protection. In one case, the son of the victim publicly stated that the night that his mother was killed by his father, she had resorted to the nearest police station after her husband had physically assaulted her. Right after, the police officers did not proceed to inspect the house and when she returned to her house her husband found her sitting on the stairs and killed her. In fact, the neighbours of the couple had also in the past informed the police about the violent fights between the couple and the abusive behaviour of her husband. The same pattern of inaction or lack of adequate action from the part of the law enforcement authorities was seen in numerous other cases from the abovementioned list.;;;;

The human rights at stake

Karavia (n 21).

Skalioni (n 6).

‘Femicide in Zakynthos: “My mother was beaten, the police left her helpless”, says the son” (Imerodromos, 3 August 2022) <https://www.imerodromos.gr/gunaikoktonia-sti-zakuntho-h-mana-mou-eiche-faei-xulo-h-astunomia-thn-afhse-avohthhth-leei-o-gios/> accessed 8 September 2022.

‘Female murder – Zakynthos: The neighbors had notified the police many times’ (Voria, 1 August 2022) <https://www.voria.gr/article/ginekoktonia—zakinthos-i-gitones-ichan-enimerosi-polles-fores-tin-astinomia> accessed 8 September 2022.

Frosso Paulou, ‘Crime in Makrinitsa: Since 15/01, the 28-year-old has been asking for protection from her ex-husband – The Chronicle’ (ERT news, 8 April 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/perifereiakoi-stathmoi/volos/egklima-sti-makrinitsa-apo-tis-15-1-zitoyse-prostasia-apo-ton-proin-syzygo-tis-i-28chroni-to-chroniko/> accessed 8 September 2022.

‘Dafni – femicide : Prosecutor’s investigation in the two police officers who did not check the incident of domestic violence’ (ERT news, 1 August 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/ellada/dafni-gynaikoktonia-eisaggeliki-ereyna-gia-toys-dyo-astynomikoys-poy-den-elegxan-to-peristatiko-endooikogeneiakis-vias/> accessed 9 September 2022.

Skalioni (n 6).

Karavia (n 21).

The human rights at stake

This situation amounts to the violation of two recognised human rights under international human rights law; the right to life and the right not to be discriminated against on the basis of sex. The right to life is safeguarded under Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates that “everyone has the right to life, liberty and the security of person”. The right to life is also protected under Article 6 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, according to which “Every human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life”. Pursuant to Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, discrimination on the grounds of sex – among other grounds – in relation to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the Declaration is prohibited. The right to not be discriminated against on the basis of sex is further protected under Article 2 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which establishes that each Party to the Covenant “undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognised in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” Additionally, the second paragraph of the same article provides that all necessary steps shall be taken for the realisation of paragraph 1, including the adoption of “such laws or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognised in the present Covenant.” Article 3 of the same Covenant precisely makes reference to gender equality and designates that States Parties to the Covenant undertake to ensure the equal rights of men and women to the enjoyment of all rights set forth in the Covenant.

Conclusion: The urgent need to provide a safe place for women

Greece has been facing an immense increase of cases of gender-based violence which has been aggravated by the pandemic lockdowns. It is of the utmost importance to ensure that the gender stereotypes which place women in an inferior social position or envision them in sexist traditional gender roles are eliminated in their entirety. It is a matter of the violation of fundamental human rights and the need to protect Greek women and women all over the world has become more urgent than ever.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted 10 December 1948 UNGA Res 217 A(III).

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted 16 December 1966, entered into force 23 March 1976) 999 UNTS 171.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (n 34).

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (n 35).

Sources:

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted 16 December 1966, entered into force 23 March 1976) 999 UNTS 171

Karavia K, ‘Call them by their name: 12 femicides in 7 months’ (Ethnos, 2 August 2022) <https://www.ethnos.gr/greece/article/218534/pestesmetoonomatoys12gynaikoktoniesmesase7mhnes> accessed 7 September 2022

Mandakaki M, ‘The 54-year-old woman who was murdered in Meskla had fourteen injuries on her body’ (ERT news, 19 January 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/perifereiakoi-stathmoi/chania/dekatesseris-kakoseis-efere-sto-soma-tis-i-54chroni-gynaika-poy-dolofonithike-sta-meskla/> accessed 6 September 2022

Manta K, ‘Femicides: What is happening in Greece?’ (By Arcadia, 30 November 2021) <https://www.byarcadia.org/post/femicides-what-is-happening-in-greece> accessed 5 September 2021

Paulou F, ‘Crime in Makrinitsa: Since 15/01, the 28-year-old has been asking for protection from her ex-husband – The Chronicle’ (ERT news, 8 April 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/perifereiakoi-stathmoi/volos/egklima-sti-makrinitsa-apo-tis-15-1-zitoyse-prostasia-apo-ton-proin-syzygo-tis-i-28chroni-to-chroniko/> accessed 8 September 2022

Skalioni D, ‘Femicide in Greece in 2021: A blacklist that has no end’ (ERT news, 10 December 2021) <https://www.ertnews.gr/eidiseis/mono-sto-ertgr/oi-gynaikoktonies-stin-ellada-to-2021-mia-mayri-lista-poy-teleiomo-den-echei/> accessed 6 September 2022

Smith H, ‘Calls for femicide to become separate crime in Greece mount as two more women killed’ (The Guardian, 21 December 2021) <https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/dec/21/greece-femicide-crime-two-more-women-killed> accessed 5 September 2022

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted 10 December 1948) UNGA Res 217 A(III)

Articles

Gender violence in Greece: Reported cases of murdered women to be on the rise

Introduction: The rise of reported cases of violence against women during the pandemic

The human rights at stake

The human rights at stake

Conclusion: The urgent need to provide a safe place for women

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