The other side of fear

TW: mentions of sexual abuse, rape

These past few months, whilst in the peak of the pandemic, the country has been dreadfully witnessing a chain reaction of abolishing silence. The allegation of sexual abuse reported by Sofia Bekatorou, an Olympic champion, against a Sailing Federation official, whom she identified with ample courage, was the starting point of a long-running, painful, but undoubtedly significant course of action. A direct trajectory towards the light of truth, the dethronement of violence and the foundation of a healthier society that would be able to do the obvious; to side in support with the victims and denounce the abusers, never the other way around.

The almost daily waves of accusations that followed Sofia Bekatorou’s one brought to the surface the deep-rooted, outright protected violence that dominates places of significance, like the theater, or places in which ideas and knowledge circulate and personalities are shaped, like the Greek university. Violence in all its different forms, the common axis being that it’s exercised by highly-placed people, in possession of authority and power.

Dozens of cases rose into urgent relevance, the perpetrators stopped being elusive figures, “Great Director”, “Well-known actor”, “Assistant professor”. They got attached to a name and were called to bear the burden of their action, which as of late weighed solely on the victim. Even now, still, the victims of sexual abuse don’t get the treatment they deserve. The keyboard judges rub their hands together and hungrily wonder.

Why now?

Maybe they were asking for it?

Where were their parents?

Queries laced in social stereotypes, concerning the old-fashioned macho men, toying with the idea that it could not possibly be entirely the abuser’s fault.

It seems unthinkable that the blame would be attributed to the victims. Nonetheless, it is something that constitutes a bleak component of modern society. In reality, the impact of the successive reports of violent incidents is much greater than the obvious delivery of justice. The Greek society needs to get through to the other side of fear.

The side in which the only one who’s afraid is the abuser.

The side in which the victims are protected, empowered, and not being asked to apologize.

Violence is no longer excused, and above all, not concealed. Besides, there is no place for it, not in the university chair, not in the theater stage, not in the podiums of major sporting organizations. It is utterly reprehensible, as it should have been from the founding of the world.

In a society that deems the distinctive lines between the victim and the perpetrator blurred and vague, finally there comes a time in which we cross over to the other side of fear. This side holds light, truth, an answer to anyone who’s ever wondered “Why now”. Because now I’ve gained strength from someone more courageous than me and in turn have been called upon to give this courage to someone who’s still afraid.

Because no one is alone now.
Because finally we’re on the other side.

Photography by: Eleni Santoli, Simos Maniatis, Ioakim Masmanidis

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