Accusations of sexual harassment rock arts world in Greece

A month after Greek Olympic sailing champion Sofia Bekatorou's publicly disclosed allegations that she was sexually assaulted by a former sports official 23 years ago, the floodgates appear to have opened in the country for similar claims.

As Greece's prosecutors investigate an increasing number of such allegations and sexual harassment has become a part of the public discourse, the authorities have pledged to take action and bring justice to the victims.

"Exactly 65 years ago, on Feb. 19, 1956, women in our country voted for the first time," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recalled during a meeting with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Friday. "Today, the country has the first female president and last month a veil of silence has broken with the shocking revelations in the context of the #MeToo movement."

"Courts must punish the perpetrators of such incidents, and we must make sure that we have the right framework to avoid such abuses as much as possible," he said on Greek national broadcaster ERT.

"Abuse of power, violence -- verbal and physical -- whether in the workplace, at schools, in personal or family relationships, cannot be tolerated. We have a duty to support these people, protect their dignity and bring justice," Sakellaropoulou stressed, noting that an acute problem that has existed for years is now revealed with intensity.

Sixty-five percent of women in Greece said they had suffered sexual harassment, according to a survey released a few days ago by the Prorata polling firm. In the same survey, 87 percent of respondents said it was not easy for victims to find justice.

According to experts, this is one of the reasons why such cases remain underreported and do not reach the courts. Bekatorou as well as other women who spoke out lately said they feared they would not be heard.

Greek officials have pledged that all allegations will be fully investigated, urging the victims to speak out.

Bekatorou, 43, spoke during an online event organized by the Greek Culture and Sports Ministry on Jan. 14.

"I will share with you an experience that was disturbing for me and has marked my life," she said. "In order to protect the health and safety of other youngsters, I have decided to talk openly, even if with a delay."

She revealed that an official of the Hellenic Sailing Federation sexually assaulted her in 1998 during training for the Sydney Olympics. The official denied the claim but was forced to quit his post within a few days.

Bekatorou's case will not reach the courts, as the 15-year statute of limitations has already expired.

However, she inspired dozens of women and men to talk about their experiences of abuse in sports, culture, science, the media, universities and other sectors.

Victims have spoken out in newspapers and on social media, filed complaints and several accused perpetrators have already been removed from their posts and are now facing probes.

In one case, a former sailing coach was arrested on charges of sexual abuse of a junior athlete between 2010 and 2013.

In the arts world, the Hellenic Actors' Union said that within a few weeks it had received over 1,000 complaints filed by female and male artists. The accused perpetrators - many of them publicly identified -- included at least five prominent actors and directors. One had also served as deputy minister in a government a few years ago.

They have all denied the allegations, threatening to sue their accusers.

In one of these cases, Dimitris Lignadis resigned from his post as artistic director of the National Theater on Feb. 6. A male actor publicly alleged that Lignadis had sexually abused him when he was a minor and submitted a formal complaint to the judicial authorities.

"Lignadis deceived us, deceived me," Culture and Sports Minister Lina Mendoni told an online press conference on Friday. "He was trying to persuade us that he was not involved in any of these incidents by staging a theatrical performance."

The minister said that she had also submitted a complaint to the Supreme Court prosecutor asking for a thorough investigation of the alleged abuses that had occurred in the theater.