Addressing the Surge of Sexual Abuse in Cypriot Schools
The serene island nation of Cyprus is grappling with a disturbing trend as reports of sexual abuse in schools surface, shaking the community to its core. In recent months, at least three separate incidents have been brought to public attention, highlighting a critical issue within the educational system.
Phileleftheros has shed light on these troubling events, revealing that students were the victims in most cases, and in a particularly harrowing instance, a female teacher was subjected to sexual abuse by her students, leading to her resignation.
The response to these incidents has been under scrutiny. In one case, where a student was sexually abused by three classmates, the Immediate Response Team’s intervention was delayed by over a week, with police involvement taking even longer. Despite the victim and perpetrators attending the same school for over a month after the incident, only one of the perpetrators has been permanently expelled, with the other two remaining due to objections from their families.
Moreover, female students have faced blackmail related to indecent photographs, and the police are actively investigating these cases of
Loizos Konstantiou, president of the Parents’ Association for Secondary Education, voiced parents’ concerns and pointed out that while legislation has existed since 2021, its enforcement is lacking. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Education both bear significant responsibility in this regard.
Education Minister Athina Michaelidou has responded to the outcry, stating that immediate action was taken following the report after the Education Committee meeting. An educational psychologist was dispatched, and police investigations are ongoing. She stressed that the issue is not the absence of legislation but rather its activation and collective responsibility.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of immediate reporting and justice for such cases. She underscored that even a suspicion of sexual abuse mandates direct reporting to police by teachers, bypassing school management. Additionally, she emphasized educating children and parents on how to respond to such situations.
In response to these events, AKEL MP Christos Christofides has sought further clarity from the Minister of Education on protocols for preventing and managing deviant behavior in schools. He has inquired about the adequacy of staffing levels for services like Educational Psychology and the Immediate Response Team to handle such sensitive cases effectively.
As Cyprus confronts this alarming issue, it becomes evident that a coordinated effort is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of students within Cypriot schools. The community awaits decisive action and effective implementation of existing laws to prevent further occurrences of sexual abuse.
