ADVOCACY / DEFENSE OF RIGHTS 
ARTS, SPORTS, ENTERTAINMENT 
GENDER BASED VIOLENCE 
Φορέας:
CRWI Diotima
Type of stakeholder:
Non Governmental Organizations
PLAYSAFE | New educational game against online gender-based violence from the Diotima Center and UNICEF
A new educational game in the form of a digital application (app) is presented by the Diotima Center and UNICEF. Play Safe aims to inform and raise awareness among teenagers and young people about gender-based online violence and harassment.
In recent years, online gender-based violence has seen a significant spread, especially among young people (children and teenagers), due to the increasing use of the Internet and social media. It particularly affects girls/young women and LGBTI+ teenagers and young women.
According to the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, (FRA 2014, 2022) this form of violence has been experienced by:
• 1 in 10 women from age 15+
• 9-15% of LGBTI persons from 15 years+
Gender-based online violence and harassment takes many forms, such as: sharing sexual videos and photos without consent, threats and harassment, cyber stalking, etc. Young people who experience it often face physical and psychological consequences (intense discomfort, increased anxiety, sadness, shame, isolation, appetite problems, headaches, etc.) In fact, the fact that it is difficult to remove all abusive content from the internet can to aggravate the consequences.
Play Safe, through interactive games, teaches teenagers to recognize online gender-based violence, whether it happens to them or someone close to them. It familiarizes young people with a repertoire of appropriate responses when they encounter it in the digital world. It offers useful information on who to turn to when they need support. It cultivates empathy and solidarity by inviting them to put themselves in the other’s shoes, highlighting the importance of zero tolerance for gender-based violence. In addition, the digital game Play Safe is a useful tool for parents, teachers and any adult person who wants to be informed about new forms of gender-based violence and stand by teenagers who are at risk and need help.
The application is available for free on the PlayStore, in Greek, English and Farsi and is supported by Android.