According to recent research in Cyprus and the European Union, one in three women has experienced sexual harassment, but the number of formal complaints does not reflect the true scale of the problem.
This was stated by the head of the Committee on Gender Equality in Employment and Vocational Training, Eleni Kuzupi. Since 2011, the committee has received a total of 35 complaints related to sexual harassment in the workplace. In addition, about 10% of applications are subsequently withdrawn by the victims themselves, which, according to Kuzupi, demonstrates women's deep mistrust of the system for protecting their rights.
According to a joint 2024 study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) and Eurostat, 30.8% of women in the EU report experiencing sexual harassment at work at least once in their lives.
In Cyprus, this figure is much higher - almost 40% (39.9%). In the year before the survey, 7.4% of Cypriot women experienced harassment, while the EU average was 4.3%.
The study also found that:
27.2% of women experienced harassment from men; 15.8% - from colleagues; 7.4% - from managers; 9.3% - from clients or visitors.
However, the Cyprus Ministry of Labor has received only 10 official complaints over the past three years, which highlights the scale of the “invisible” problem.
According to Eleni Kuzupi, many victims are hesitant to file a complaint due to:
fear of dismissal or retaliation from the employer;
feelings of shame and fear of condemnation; fears that a complaint will harm one’s career; complex bureaucratic procedures and lengthy investigations; lack of psychological support; fear that a complaint will not be taken seriously.
Many women admit that they are ashamed to talk about what happened, and also that they do not believe in the effectiveness of defense mechanisms.
“For victims to decide to report harassment, they must feel safe and confident that they will be heard and supported,” Kuzupi emphasized. “They need to know that their complaint will be resolved within a reasonable time and without bureaucratic delays.”
The committee provides free consultations and legal assistance to men and women who have faced discrimination or harassment at work. If the complaint is confirmed by inspectors of the Ministry of Labor or representatives of the Human Rights Ombudsman, victims are provided with free legal support in court.
Since 2011, the committee has received:
35 complaints about sexual harassment, 50 about pregnancy and maternity issues, 62 about discrimination in promotions, 30 about limited access to employment.
More than 150 cases received free legal support, and most of them were won in court.
Victims of harassment can lodge a complaint with the Committee for Gender Equality in Employment and Vocational Training, the Cyprus Ombudsman, inspectors of the Ministry of Labor or the police. The complaint can also be sent through bodies promoting gender equality, which will transfer it according to their competence.
Source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
