British Embassy, Diotima NGO launch domestic violence awareness campaign

The British Embassy in Greece and Diotima gender equality NGO on Tuesday launched an online campaign against domestic violence. 

Scheduled to run until April 9, the #UnlockYourPower campaign aims to raise awareness of a rising trend in incidents of domestic violence during the pandemic, noted Ambassador Kate Smith. 

Smith added that the UK collaborates with governments and non-governmental organizations across the world in view of eliminating this criminal behavior, offering the support victims need to live their lives without fear. 

Domestic violence is a pandemic within the pandemic, said the embassy and Diotima in a joint statement. Women who endure a violent relationship are more likely to be trapped indoors during the pandemic, they added. 

This phenomenon is a violation of human rights, noted Smith, and many of these incidents never reach the relevant authorities. 

Diotima’s Maria Liapi said that 4,872 women sought help in support groups from November 2019 to October 2020. During this time, 536 were placed in hostels, and some 8,609 people called the SOS telephone line 15900 seeking information. 

The #UnlockYourPower campaign can be seen at the NGO’s website, the British Embassy’s Facebook profile and on all the Diotima social media accounts.

[ANA-MPA]