Former POW’s alleged 1974 rape testimony heard by House refugee committee

Nicosia, Cyprus. A former prisoner of war told his wife shortly before his death that he had been raped by Turkish forces during his captivity in 1974, the House refugee committee heard on Tuesday. The case was presented as part of wider concerns over sexual abuse and long-term trauma among survivors of the Turkish invasion.

Testimony disclosed after decades

President of the Prisoners of War Association Vasos Christou said the man had not spoken about the experience throughout decades of marriage, despite having four children.

According to Christou, the former prisoner disclosed what had happened shortly before his death. His wife later decided to share his testimony in an effort to “put her husband’s soul to rest”.

Christou said the case was not isolated, claiming that other former prisoners had also suffered sexual abuse but remained unwilling to speak publicly. He questioned how many survivors would now disclose their experiences more than five decades after the events.

Register and mental health support

Deputy Social Welfare Minister Tina Pavlou told MPs that creating a register of women and men who suffered abuse during the Turkish invasion had been set as a priority.

She said the state had failed over the years to provide adequate mental health support to people traumatised by the invasion.

“It is never too late when it comes to mental health,” Pavlou said, adding that men who had been raped could face particular difficulty in speaking about their experiences.

Pavlou said any process for recording survivors’ testimonies would require discretion and confidentiality. She also warned that trauma left untreated for 52 years could become deeply entrenched and referred to research into the intergenerational cycle of trauma, saying its effects extend beyond victims to their families.