A woman is raped every other day in Greece

It was shortly after ringing in the New Year. She wanted to go out with her woman friend. However, the third and last drink that that she was served at that party led to an event she could not have imagined.

The next thing she remembers is finding herself in a hotel suite, naked and with her clothing strewn on the floor.

She immediately realised what had happened.

The case of the gang rape of a 24-year-old woman in Thessaloniki sparked a wave of rage and at the same time a wave of support for the victim, who mustered the courage to relate the nightmare that she experienced.

On Wednesday morning, one more horrible incident came to light, as in Volos a 20-year-old woman charged that she was gang raped.

Charges regarding a rape in 2020

In its second report on violence against women – released in November, 2021, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – the General Secretariat for Demographics, Family Policy, and Gender Equality cited 202 incidents of rape reported in 2020.

That number includes only women victims who reported their case to authorities, and is believed to possibly be much bigger, given the fact that many victims of sexual abuse do not manage to inform authorities.

In 2015, 1,238 incidents of rape were reported in Greece.

Most reported rapes are to be found at the start of the economic recession, with 263 victims.

Disappointing Criminal Code changes

The Greek #MeToo movement prompted the justice ministry to make a series of changes to the Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure.

It involves a series of stricter measures that will be implemented if the bill is passed by Parliament and that will support groups such as minors, citizens from third countries, victims of sexual violence and exploitation, and victims of trafficking, who due to their position and the abuse they have suffered find it impossible to report it with authorities without the help of experts.