Direct Democracy MP Diana Lucia Constantinide has spoken publicly about her mother’s murder in 1993 and the lasting impact the crime had on her life.
Speaking during Sigma’s Mesimeri kai Kati programme, as Parliament’s Human Rights Committee discussed violence against women, Constantinide said killings leave behind children and relatives who must carry a profound psychological and emotional burden.
‘I am one of those collateral victims’
“I want to confess something to you. I am personally one of those collateral victims. When I lost my mother, it was a murder case,” Constantinide said.
She explained that although the case did not involve domestic violence, the loss of a parent through a criminal act had consequences that continued throughout her life.
“It may not have been within the context of domestic violence, but having your mother taken away from you, having that person whom we all need taken away, is of decisive importance,” she said.
Constantinide argued that discussions surrounding femicide should not be confined to their legal or political dimensions, as they concern human lives and the families left behind.
“It is not only a legal issue and it is not only a political issue. For me, it is also deeply personal,” she said, stressing the need to prevent women from reaching the point of attempted murder or being killed.
The children left behind
Constantinide placed particular emphasis on the effects such crimes have on children.
“The most important issue of all is the children who are left behind and carry all the burdens that come with such a situation,” she said.
Her mother was murdered in 1993. Constantinide said two men had taken her mother’s life, but two other men, her father and her husband, had provided her with crucial support in the years that followed.
“My father and my husband became my legs when I fell to my knees. They became my voice when I lost my voice. They became my belief in myself when I stopped believing in myself,” she said.
Call for victims to seek help
Addressing women experiencing abuse or other dangerous circumstances, Constantinide urged them to seek assistance.
“Gather whatever crumbs of strength you have within you, and if you have no strength, create it, because we women can do that. We have the ability to give birth and create life,” she said.
She added that protecting victims cannot depend solely on women speaking out. An effective state framework is also required, including prevention measures, support services and mechanisms capable of stopping violence before it escalates.
