Violence against women. An article by detective Pelekasi Nikos in the newspaper “Pontiaki Gnomi”.
Even almost half a century after the legal equalisation of women’s rights, violence against women continues to exist, although it varies in intensity and form. It is estimated that even today one in three women still experience physical, psychological or sexual violence from their partner or some form of sexual harassment in the workplace.
As part of the general evolution and civilisation of violence between people, new forms of violence have come to complement physical violence, traditionally seen as the only form of violence against women. Sexual, psychological, economic and social violence are some of these new forms. Other forms of violence include directly or indirectly monitoring her private life, slander, exerting influence or threats on her employers to prevent her from being hired or fired from a job, depriving her of medical care and work, leading to restrictions on her wider freedom.
However, women are often reluctant to report violence out of fear, shame, prejudice, self-inclusion, traditional social attitudes and lack of information about their rights.
In the victim-perpetrator relationship, the phenomenon of transfer of guilt is often observed, with the woman-victim being convinced that she is totally responsible for the actions of the perpetrator. The abuser, in order to maintain his dominance, uses various tactics aimed at controlling the woman’s emotions and behaviour. Through this psychological emotional deception, the abuser convinces her that she is the only one who understands him and is important to him. It has been documented that a high percentage of perpetrators come from low socio-economic backgrounds, have low self-esteem, have dropped out of high school, are usually unskilled, have psychological problems or have been physically abused at some stage in their lives.
The woman-victim needs support from her social network to realise that she is not responsible for the violence she is subjected to by her father, her partner, her employer, etc., as she may have been convinced so far. With appropriate psychological support, from state agencies or NGOs, the woman can regain her self-confidence and believe in herself again, create the life she truly desires and deserves and set boundaries that will lead to an end to the violence.
Women who postpone the decision to react, inevitably end up losing themselves, immersed in an environment of violence. Failure to condemn the perpetrator leads both to intensification of his/her attack and to the mimicry of his/her actions by other potential perpetrators. Therefore, given the extent of the problem, it is not only an individual issue, but also a broader one, as society lacks the full potential of a well-balanced woman as a worker, wife, mother and citizen in general.
Violence against women. Detective Pelekasis Nikos and Associates.
Published in the journal Pontiaki Gnomi
July – August 2015
Sheet number 76-77
