Cyprus recorded 999 incidents of violence against women in 2022-2023, with 147 rapes and 20 attempted rapes reported between 2021-2023, according to police statistics.
The country also documented 41 femicides over the past decade, from 2014 to 2024.
The Advisory Committee on Prevention and Combating of Domestic Violence (SEPKVO) released these figures ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The committee emphasised the urgent need for electronic monitoring of protection orders in Cyprus, following successful practices in Portugal, Spain, Finland and France, where victim-centred electronic bilateral monitoring has been implemented.
Violence against women remains one of the most widespread human rights violations globally, with 35% of women experiencing physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
According to the committee, 47% of women murdered are killed by an intimate partner or family member, whilst 98% of sexual exploitation victims are women.
The committee addressed the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Equal Opportunities between Men and Women on April 15, 2024, highlighting the critical need to regulate electronic monitoring of protection orders.
They warned that the absence of monitoring mechanisms for protection orders, despite a robust legal framework, leaves victims vulnerable to perpetrators.
SEPKVO stressed that professionals handling such cases must be equipped with necessary tools to effectively implement legal provisions.
The committee suggested that electronic monitoring would significantly aid police work and enable timely intervention to protect victims.
They added that the issuance of electronically monitored protection orders should be based on specific criteria, linked to risk assessment, and comply with appropriate legislative regulations.
(information from CNA)
