The Gender Discrimination Management Center ERIFILI

The Gender Discrimination Management Center "Erifili" is a multi-purpose space located in Sahtouri 64 , in Patras, that offers a well rounded organized framework for the intervention and empowerment in our community. Its main functions are experiential workshops, legal support and legal consulting, informative actions, exhibitions, conferences, events, as well as the development of an autonomous volunteer group, which is based in its area.

The original initiator of the project is the lawyer, graduate of the School of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and graduate of the Department of Philosophy, Vassilis Markou. His specialization in the postgraduate program of "Bioethics" and the relevance of gender issues to legal science and philosophy, activated his interest in the formation of an interdisciplinary group, which will cover the gaps in the protection of gender inequalities, in an effort to contribute to the Greek "me too" movement.

The scientific team: Stavroula Kordella, Vassilis Markou, Chrysoula Loukopoulou, Danai Petropoulou,  Enni Androutseli and Maria Ioakeimidis collaborate for the implementation of this project. The dialogue of the scientific fields of psychology, law, criminology, philosophy and the positive sciences aims to alleviate inequalities in relationships and at work through a series of actions and interventions constantly before the stereotypical perceptions of our society.

For this reason, the diffusion and communication of the operation, goals and actions of "ERIFYLI" is capable of contributing to the reduction of gender discrimination.

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​Sexual violence

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  Patriarchy thrives today. It is a system of ideas and individual considerations on which most modern societies are built. Clearly, it is known to empower – in an arbitrary way – the male gender and promote practices of coercion, oppression and compulsion. Through this view, practices have been naturalized, which continue to be reproduced in today's societies. These practices are related to the devaluation of women, the reinforcement of specific behaviors and genders - on the side of men - which are considered to reflect and stimulate their "masculinity" i.e. the prevalence of gender roles and stereotypical behaviors, the reinforcement of rape culture and its normalization.

In the recent years, an increase of gender-based violence incidents has been noticed. There is not only the physical abuse (slapping, pushing, pulling hair, etc.)which threatens the physical integrity of the victim, but intimate partner violence takes many forms: verbal, psychological, physical, sexual and financial abuse– which leave no visible marks but are just as traumatic.

Its effects affect important areas of people's lives, personality and mental health.  We are trying to prevent and address the cycle of silence and abuse, aiming to contribute to the #metoo movement.

 

Interventions:

Empowerment workshops: conflict management, sexual education based on consent, strengthening of self-awareness and professional orientation, are topics that can act as a deterrent to future acts of violence, through the empowerment and education of the participants.

Informative events in our conference venue, seminars, exhibitions, interventions in schools, operation of an autonomous voluntary group: Informing the community about the phenomenon and issues of gender-based violence is linked to the achievement of greater levels of equality by its members in their lives.

Escape Plan: We provide a detailed practical step-by-step guide regarding the escape from an abusive relationship and we conduct the necessary legal actions in collaboration with our network of legal partners.

Holistic treatment: Contact "ERIFYLI" and our network of partners and scientists in collaboration can offer the best individual direction to follow, confidentially and with dedication to each specific problem. The cooperation of the sciences of criminology, psychology and law is often necessary for a holistic intervention to the violence phenomena.