TACKling Violence: Confront. Speak. Transform.

When: Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Where: 7th Level Auditorium, Deree – The American College of Greece, 6 Gravias Str., Aghia Paraskevi

Co-organized by:
The Cinema Studies program (Department of Arts and Creative Industries) and the Sociology program (Department of Social Sciences) – Deree – The American College of Greece

Supported by:
Cinema Studies & Sociology Societies

About the event

In observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, this year’s event, TACKling Violence, features the screening of the multi-awarded documentary TACK (2024) by Vania Turner — an ONASSIS CULTURE production distributed by CINEDOC. The film follows Olympian Sofia Bekatorou, whose decision to speak out about sexual abuse sparked Greece’s #MeToo movement, as she supports a young athlete seeking justice for her own case.

Following the screening, a panel discussion will explore issues of gender-based violence, trauma, and justice through legal, psychological, and sociological perspectives. The event invites participants to reflect on the ethics of representation, survivor advocacy, and social responsibility in addressing gender-based violence.

Open to all, this event aims to inspire dialogue and promote collective efforts toward ending violence against women.

The event is free and open to the public.

Please register below, by November 24, 2025 to get a certificate of attendance.

For further clarifications, please contact frs@acg@edu

Event program

15:40-17:20 Screening of the Film “Tack”
17:30-19:00 Panel Discussion

About the speakers

Vania Turner – film director
Vania Turner is a Greek British documentary filmmaker and cinematographer. Over the past decade, her work has explored themes of trauma, loss, survival and conflict. As a video journalist Turner covered humanitarian crises across the Middle East, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, before deciding to shift her focus to observational documentary work. Her debut feature documentary Tack, where Turner also worked as cinematographer and editor, premiered at the 2024 Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival and has been recognized with multiple honors, including the FIPRESCI prize. She was part of the IDFA Academy in 2024 and holds degrees in English Literature and Political Theory.

Dr. Foteini Sonia (Tinia) Apergi
Dr Apergi is a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma and child protection. She combines clinical, academic, and advocacy experience to promote trauma-informed practices in education, healthcare, and the legal system. At The American College of Greece, she has taught courses in forensic psychology, psychopathology, and psychotherapeutic interventions. She also consults for NGOs such as Justice Initiative, Safe Society, ELIZA – Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and Defense for Children International (DCI) Greece, focusing on abuse prevention, trauma-informed care, and the mental health needs of at-risk populations. A seasoned educator and international speaker, Dr. Apergi’s work is grounded in a rights-based, trauma-informed approach that empowers both survivors and professionals.

Dr Chara Chioni Chotouman
Dr Chioni-Chotouman is a lawyer specializing in gender-based and sexual violence. Her academic work focuses on victim’s rights and the evolution of legal responses to rape in Greece and Europe. Alongside her research, she has provided legal aid and advocacy to victims of gender-based violence in collaboration with NGOs and has contributed to training programs for young lawyers. She also participates in international expert and policy networks on GBV and criminal justice. She has published monographs and numerous articles on these issues in Greece and internationally.

Dr Myrna Papadouka
Maria Eirini (Myrna) is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Director of Social Sciences Programmes at Middlesex University. Her research focuses on organized crime, human trafficking, and gender-based violence, emphasizing gendered vulnerability and victimization in organized criminal activities. She examines institutional and state responses to protect survivors, combining criminology, policy analysis and data-driven methods to trace trafficking dynamics and barriers to reporting and prevention. Her work has been published internationally and informs policy debates on justice, and institutional accountability.