New Femicide Shocks Greece: Woman Murdered by Her Ex

In another case of femicide in Greece, a 28-year-old woman was fatally stabbed on Monday evening shortly after she had gone to her local police station in Agioi Anargyroi in northern Athens to seek police protection against her ex-boyfriend.

Investigators have established that her 39-year-old ex-boyfriend, who is presently hospitalized after hurting himself with the same knife he used to murder the young woman, repeatedly stabbed her.

The 28-year-old reportedly saw her ex-boyfriend hanging around outside her home on Monday night and decided to call the cops for assistance. It seems that the attacker followed her there, stood outside waiting, and attacked her just a short distance away.

An internal police inquiry was launched on Tuesday. The actions of the officers at the police station where she filed the complaint are being investigated, with some reports suggesting the young woman had asked for protection on her way back home but was told there were no police cars available to escort her.

The same reports also suggest she was calling the 100 emergency number to ask for an escort when she was attacked. The 28-year-old had filed a lawsuit against the 39-year-old after they broke up in 2020, accusing him of abuse and rape. She was granted a restraining order on the grounds of that suit that ostensibly prohibited him from coming near her.

Το 2020 έκανε ασφαλιστικά μέτρα εναντίον του.
Το 2024 πήγε στο Α.Τ. γιατί την παρακολουθούσε.
Το Α.Τ. δεν της διέθεσε περιπολικό.
Με το που βγήκε από το Α.Τ. πήρε το 100.
Δεν πρόλαβε, την σκότωσε.
Ο φρουρός του Α.Τ. δεν βγήκε καν από το φυλάκιο #αγιοι_αναργυροι #γυναικοκτονια pic.twitter.com/tXR2HhOct1

— Ναυσικααα (@Nausicaaa2) April 2, 2024

Rise in femicide crime shocks Greece

In the past few years, there has been a rise in femicide crime in Greece.

The high-profile case of Caroline Crouch in 2021 brought the issue of femicide to national attention. This case also highlighted how societal views can be problematic with the defense attempting to justify the crime.

The crime was unique, as rates of violent crime are comparatively low in Greece. The revelation of a marriage to a seemingly nice guy who is actually a monster that murdered his spouse has shaken the cultural cornerstone of “a loving Greek family with a devoted husband and father.”

There are ongoing efforts to address the issue. Activists are pushing for femicide to be recognized as a separate crime with harsher punishments, and there are calls for improved support systems for victims of domestic violence.

In 2022, Greece put the panic button, a digital application that will instantly help you reach out for help if you find yourself in a difficult situation, into effect.

The panic button sends a short text message to the police in instances in which family violence is associated with a threat or danger to life and physical integrity. The purpose is immediate intervention by the police force.

In short, there will be a three-digit number that you call with your mobile phone and then immediately click on the ‘panic’ indicator that comes out on the screen.

Those eligible for registration during the pilot operation of the program include women who are victims of domestic violence. Particularly, this refers to female victims living in the region of Attica and regional unit of Thessaloniki.