Within the scope of the elimination of violence against women day, a screening of the documentary "Fighting with Silence" was made to the CIU Psychology Department students

Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology, within the scope of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, screened the documentary “Fighting with Silence”.

Making an opening speech prior to the screening, CIU Department of Psychology Chair Prof. Dr. Biran Mertan stated that this event is within the scope of 16-day activism activities for the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women, and that the Department of Psychology will continue with a variety of activities until 10th December, World Human Rights Day.

Explaining that since 1991, “16 Days of Activism” as the Campaign to Combat Gender-Based Violence has been held on an international scale, Mertan added that the events are an awareness movement for the elimination of gender-based violence across the world.

Briefly providing information in relation to the days meaning and importance, Prof. Dr. Mertan added that “Femicide; violence between individuals, collective violence in wars and conflicts, still continues for girls and women in different parts of the world”.

Highlighting the fact that discrimination and the use of unequal force against women are common in all private and public spheres, Mertan pointed out that despite all the awareness and prevention efforts made, the violence and the number of murders against women and LGBTI+ individuals have still not decreased.

Following the speech made by Prof. Dr. Biran Mertan was the screening of the documentary, “Fighting with Silence”, directed by Femke Van Velzen and Ilse Van Velzen, which takes on the subject of women.

The Department of psychology students who attended the event discussed how the only way to stop violence against women today is to act together, and they went on to emphasize the importance of the documentary that they watched in relation to the persecution brought by silence, following a war that continued for 7 years. They added that it is for this reason that such social issues should be voiced”.