Cyprus-Forum.com

[reportfromcyprus]

There are some underlying criminal trends that seem to contribute to violence against women.

Personally I think it comes down to the individual personality a lot of the time, but you guys are right that the men here take their cues from what they observe around them.

They arrested a bunch of men the other day with strong tranquilisers and break-in tools in their car. The only conclusion you can draw is that there are professional thieves out there who also take advantage of women who are drinking in clubs. Slipping them a drug and then taking them home so they can steal or check the place out.

Best thing anywhere you go in the world is to be careful about your personal safety.

[bambina]

The majority of the male population of men aged between 18 and 30 in Cyprus it appears to me do not know how to take NO for an answer.

Personally i never had problems with cypriot guys saying ''no'', especially if you say "oxi" instead of ''no" More often english men behave aggressively, when they are drunk, its something

[GG]

Getting drunk and lying on the floor in the street with you knickers showing is not advisable, it would be unfair to go so far as to say 'some women ask for it' but women need to take precautions and staying a little sober when walking the streets alone at 4am is not taking precautions.

[eternal]

the girl that got raped in Kato Paphos almost two weeks ago is a very close friend, she was raped by two guys, she met this canadian cypriot (if he truly was)he called his self Michalis in a club as she was leaving to go get a taxi he walked with her to the sea front near KFC then he grabbed her hair and dragged her across the road to the beach it al happened so fast she didn't realise what was going on until she felt water going over her face, there where two other guys on the beach, what she doesn't know is if they were there anyway or were waiting for them, they weren't greek or english, and one kept calling her a white bitch while the other one was saying he was sorry, (yeah right, if he was that sorry he'd help right!)

Anyway, the police haven't been very helpful, they did pull one guy in for an ID'd but was nothing like the description the my friend gave, the brit high commission were informed but the police didn't give much info,
she had to contact them herself, the police hadn't even given them her name.

One of the police men even made a joke about what happened to her, he tried to cover himself by saying " this sort of thing happens all the time and we act like robots"

Yes our lovely island is changing, i just hope it doesn't get as bad as the rest of europe!

[GG]

.....

It sounds even more disturbing when you hear the details. Hopefully with Cyprus being so small and with one of the guys clearly regretting it they will likely be caught.

Such a safe county lures you into a false sense of security, in London a girl would be branded crazy for walking down the street alone with a guy she only met couple hours earlier.

[reportfromcyprus]

A false sense of security has a lot to do with it, people don't think they have to take precautions.

In any case, that's irrelevant. If a woman is sexually assaulted, her conduct isn't the issue, the issue is the violence used against her and the sexual contact without her consent.

eternal, I hope your friend manages to get through this ok, the whole thing must be an absolute nightmare for her.

[eternal]

She's coping best she can,

Its a shame that no one saw her being dragged across the street, but even if someone did they might of thought it was a couple having a tiff.

[unique_earthling]

No woman asks for it regardless of her behaviour, dress or whether drunk or otherwise... It is utterly disgusting that some people actually believe that a woman is "asking for it" just because of the clothes she wears. Its not just insulting to women who have suffered through the ordeal, but also to men, almost as if to say that men cant control themselves sexually! It's ridiculous, and i can't believe people would comment otherwise". Rape is not about sex, it is about POWER and VIOLENCE. The vast majority of rapes are carefully planned. in any rape the man violently takes away the woman's control over her life and her sexuality and women suffer psychological trauma. The emotional after effects of rape can include eating disorders, sleeping disorders, agoraphobia, depression, suicide attempts and sexual difficulties.

I really hope your friend finds someone to help her through this, i know the police here are not trained to deal with it and that in the past it was a male examiner, to check for whether sexual intercourse had occured, a bit like being raped twice. it disgusts me the lack of sensitivity here for women who have been violated.. My thoughts are with her, be gentle and patient, and complain if anyone abuses her further in the investigation...

[GG]

The vast majority of rapes are carefully planned.

Is that a fact or is that your opinion?

I always thought that most rapes were in situations where woman likes a guy but doesnt want sex but he just takes it against her will. I thought they guy hiding in the bushes type rape was a minority. Anyway I strongly believe that most rapes against Cypriot women go unreported, the stigma attached to such a victim in Cypriot social circles means they stay quiet and the b4stards go free.

[G.Man]

A friend of mine left cyprus this year, as his wifes cypriot gynacologist <sp> thought it was acceptable to kiss her breasts during an examination and tell her how beautiful they were...

Not a rape, but an abuse of trust... the wife's view of cyprus was shattered and she could no longer stand to live here...

Very sad