In Cyprus, over one in three women and one in five children have experienced physical or sexual violence, placing the country above the EU average for gender-based violence. According to an EU-wide survey on violence against women and gender stereotypes, 36.1 per cent of Cypriot women reported having experienced abuse, compared to the EU average of 30.7 per cent.
In response to these figures, the NGO Support Centre on Friday unveiled initiatives to combat gender-based violence and support its victims. The proposed measures include advocating for the legal recognition of femicide and offering legal and psychosocial support to both children and adults who have suffered abuse.
The project aims to tackle sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the workplace, while also providing targeted support for elderly women. Additionally, plans include the establishment of day centres to assist victims and witnesses of gender-based violence. A study focusing on the documentation of violence against children is also part of the programme.
These initiatives are being implemented in partnership with the Greek Bodossaki Foundation. Comprising 29 actions in total – five of which are in Cyprus – the project has a combined budget of €2.3 million.
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