Filenews 14 July 2025
The specialized application for immediate assistance to victims of domestic violence "ELPIS" is officially in operation, which was presented on Monday, at a press conference at the Traffic Education Park, at the Police Headquarters.
As mentioned at the conference, domestic violence is a form of gender-based violence that unfortunately shows increasing trends in modern societies and Cyprus is no exception.
According to the Pancyprian statistics for reports of domestic violence, which were reported, in 2019 they amounted to 1,199, in 2020 1,881, in 2021 3,347, in 2022 3,082, in 2023 2,988 and in 2024 3,322.
The Minister of Justice and Public Order, Marios Hartsiotis, in his greeting, said that "it is indeed with great joy and emotion that today we have successfully reached the point of officially presenting and implementing one of the most emblematic actions of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, as well as of the Police, since I personally took over the Ministry in January 2024".
"Indeed, many efforts have been made to reach this point, hence my joy and emotion, because the ELPIS application is finally being implemented. And it is also being implemented at a time when domestic violence is indeed an issue that concerns all of us on a daily basis, I dare to say, unfortunately, on a daily basis," he added and noted that this is a pre-election commitment of the President of the Republic, which is now being translated into practice.
Mr. Hartsiotis also said that the "ELPIS" application is a specially designed application for mobile phones, which provides the opportunity to people who are at increased risk of domestic violence, but are either threatened or otherwise at risk of their life or physical integrity, to turn to the Police for immediate assistance and protection through this application.
"Victims of domestic violence, the vast majority of whom are admittedly women, can 'silently' notify the competent police authorities at the touch of a button, calling for help," he added.
In essence, he explained, it is a silent alarm through which the immediate protection and safety of victims of domestic violence is requested and ensured.
He informed that it has been being implemented on a pilot basis since last November on a nationwide basis "with very satisfactory results so far".
"Today we have the pleasure of putting the "ELPIS" application into normal operation, recognizing that in countries where the panic button is applied, as it is known, it has saved the lives of hundreds of women by preventing extreme incidents of violence and abuse, which unfortunately not infrequently result in femicide," he added.
At the same time, the Minister of Justice said that over the last three years, the Government has been making targeted and coordinated efforts to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence in general.
"The National Coordinating Agency for the Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women, which operates under the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, systematically promotes programs for the further training of frontline professionals, the preparation of surveys on a nationwide basis, as well as the creation of an effective mechanism for the collection of statistical data on the problem of violence", Added.
In the immediate future, he continued, the Ministry of Justice, through the Coordinating Body, will implement a broad campaign to inform and raise awareness among civil society about the problem of sexism, in cooperation with the Commissioner for Gender Equality.
"At the same time, a variety of other important actions are being promoted, in the context of the implementation of the national strategy and the national action plan for the prevention and combating of violence against women 2023-2028, in the areas of prevention, protection of victims and effective prosecution of perpetrators of violence," he noted.
"ELPIS", the Minister said, is a long-term and systematic work of the Ministry and the Police and comes to add an important tool in the hands of the prosecution and investigative authorities for combating violence.
He also expressed the hope that "this new tool, 'ELPIS', will save the lives of several dozens, if not hundreds, of women who experience domestic violence and are anxiously asking for a safe and effective solution to the problem that afflicts them and concerns not only them but also society and the state as a whole."
The Chief of Police, Themistos Arnaoutis, in his own greeting, said that the protection of human life and dignity is a timeless and non-negotiable priority for the Cyprus Police.
As part of this mission, Mr. Arnaoutis said, they are constantly strengthening and modernizing the means and tools at their disposal, so that they can intervene in a timely, responsible and effective manner, especially when the need is urgent and time is crucial for saving lives.
The "ELPIS" application, he continued, is another decisive step in this direction.
"A modern technological tool that strengthens our operational ability to respond with speed, discretion, accuracy and safety to incidents of domestic violence. With "ELPIS", the Police literally reaches closer to the citizen and especially to every vulnerable fellow human being, to every victim who lives in fear, silence and insecurity," he noted.
Mr. Arnaoutis said that "ELPIS" is not just an application, it is an act of responsibility, a commitment of hope.
"It is a step towards a better present and a safer future for those who have experienced or are experiencing violence, silence and fear," he added. Because what victims of domestic violence need most in their most difficult moments, the Chief of Police noted, "is to feel that they are not alone, that they are safe, that someone really cares and intervenes immediately and effectively".
He added that "as long as there are people who are experiencing a regime of fear and violence, and are looking for support and hope, we the Cyprus Police will be there, because safety is everyone's right and it is our duty to ensure it with responsibility, consistency, humanity and above all with respect for human life and dignity".
The President of Cyta's Board of Directors, Maria Tsiakka, in her own greeting, said that today's presentation concerns a project that touches on one of the most sensitive and often invisible aspects of our social life, at a time when a victim of domestic violence needs help and is afraid or does not know how to ask for it safely.
The "ELPIS" app, he said, was designed to stand by these people, discreetly and substantially, when every minute can matter.
"This is an initiative that was born from the absolute need to create a safe channel of communication even in the most difficult conditions. The technology with which CYTA has been in line over time enables a person in danger to send a distress signal without having to pick up the phone or speak, which in many cases can be a lifesaver," he added.
He noted that their participation in this journey is of special importance.
"When our expertise and infrastructure can be leveraged to protect lives, our role becomes more meaningful. Technology is never an end in itself, it is the means that, when used correctly, can bring support, relief and security to those who need it most. The path to the completion of the application was the result of many months of cooperation, coordination and constant search for the best solutions," he added.
The presentation of the application was made by the Senior Lieutenant Police, Evi Nicolaou, Head of the Sub-Directorate for the Management of Vulnerable Persons' Cases, who stated, among other things, that this project reflects the commitment of the Police to provide continuous protection and security to citizens and especially the emphasis it places on the prevention and combating of this social phenomenon.
"This is an ambitious project that sets the bar high. However, with dedication and responsibility, the Police will be constantly vigilant to effectively ensure the protection of persons who are in danger and call for help. The idea and decision for the creation of this innovative project was based on the long-term monitoring of the phenomenon of domestic violence in our country, as well as at a global level. Also, the recognition of the seriousness of the consequences that these crimes can bring to society," he added.
At the same time, Mrs. Nicolaou informed the way to install the application in question on mobile phones and the procedure that will be followed by the user.
Asked by a CNA journalist who will receive these messages, the Chief of Police said that on a 24-hour basis there is currently at the Message Control Center of the Police Headquarters, where there is a possibility and tests have already been carried out for months to receive the messages and immediately send a patrol car to any province, to any area for a response.
Responding to a question, Mr. Arnaoutis said that the application is via the internet.
Responding to a question regarding the convictions by the ECtHR on issues of violence, the Minister said that "justice stands very high in Cyprus" and disagrees with the broader tendency of nihilism of an institution, which really holds Cyprus too high along with many others.
"In relation to the Ministry and the specific issue that you referred to in the part of the ECtHR decision, I would like to say that a very large effort has been made in recent years and a lot of relevant actions have been taken, which I very briefly wanted to mention, yes this particular application, it is already one of the most emblematic actions in the fight against domestic violence", he said.
"We proceeded in November with a very broad enlightenment campaign and in the next few days we are proceeding with a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of civil society around the problem of sexism, always in cooperation with the Commissioner for Gender Equality," he concluded.
CNA
