Four Short Films on Cyber Exploitation to Be Presented Under Erasmus+

This month, Cyprus will host screenings of four short films dedicated to online exploitation and human trafficking. The project is being implemented within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme “Cinema for Social Change”.

The initiative is led by Step Up Stop Slavery, which places emphasis on learning through personal experience and the creative engagement of young people. The films “Break the Silence”, “Destinations”, “In My Room” and “Not as I Thought” were created by the Step Up Youth team based on real-life stories.

Organisers stress that the aim of the initiative is not only to inform but also to provide young people with practical tools to protect themselves and others.

Special attention is drawn to the film “Not as I Thought”, which tells the story of a young man who became a victim of labour exploitation. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, from 2019 to 2022 cases of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour increased worldwide by 47%. The project’s authors note that the film helps to break stereotypes, foster empathy and demonstrate the real scale of the problem.

A public screening of the film “Break the Silence” will take place on 3 March 2026 in cooperation with the University of Cyprus and the UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality. The film, partly written in the Cypriot dialect, tells the story of a teenager whose intimate photos were distributed without his consent. The main message of the film is that responsibility lies with the perpetrator, not the victim.

The Cyprus Police has also joined the initiative, sharing the first two films of the project on its social media platforms on the occasion of Safer Internet Day.

The project brings together school pupils, students, migrants and people with lived experience of exploitation, and is implemented in cooperation with non-governmental organisations from Malta and Latvia. The organisers express hope that post-screening discussions will help young people speak openly about problems and not be afraid to seek help.