On an almost daily basis yet another woman breaks the silence and a new revelation about sexual harassment emerges after Olympics sailing gold medalist Sofia Bekatorou spoke publicly about her rape – which she quite rightly underlined was not an isolated incident – by a high-level Hellenic Sailing Federation official.
That alone suffices for one to understand that the problem goes far beyond the sailing federation and even Greek athletics overall.
The problem concerns every aspect of our social life and every sector. Obviously, the clean-up must begin with this bomshell case in which a prosecutor has already intervened, but it must not be limited to that because then we shall lose a significant opportunity.
The Olympics champion fulfilled her duty not only to other women but also to society in its entirety by opening a discussion that we ought to have conducted long ago.
Now, the judiciary must investigate the charges made by women athletes as well as students who attended the University of Thessaloniki.
This discussion must be concluded in the public realm without people becoming entrenched in a gender-based vantage point.
At the core of the Greek #MeToo movement lies a problem that affects both women and men – the abuse of power.
Anyone can fall victim to an individual that exploits his or her position and the culture of cover-up and fear in order to take advantage of a fellow human being.
It is not just the daughters, wives, friends, and partners of men who are endangered by such individuals. They themselves are threatened.
That is why together we all have the duty to pursue the movement that Sofia Bekatorou kindled to the end.
