Almost a year of operation of the "Elpis" application of the silent help of victims or prospective victims of domestic violence and 27 women pressed the button sending an sos message to the Police for help.
This application seemed from the first moment to save lives since women who find that a situation is escalating in their home and may be a victim of violence, call for help through the red button on their mobile phone. Of course, there are also women who do not have time to make this saving move, such as the wife of the wanted Syrian, who was the victim of an attempted murder along with her mother, receiving repeated stabs.
According to data from the Sub-Directorate for the Management of Vulnerable Persons' Affairs (YDYEP), from July 2025 when the "Elpis" application was put into operation until today, 457 women have installed it on their mobile phones for immediate assistance. According to the head of YDYEP, Evi Nikolaou, in about a year the application was used by 27 women.
In 2025, the red button was used 14 times, namely for seven cases in Nicosia, five in Limassol and two in Larnaca. For 2026 there were 13 incidents, six in Nicosia, six in Limassol and one in Paphos.
"The response of the Police through the ELPIS application is assessed as immediate, effective and adequately coordinated", says Ms. Nikolaou, noting that based on the available data and the operation of the application to date, the immediate activation of the notification mechanism through the "SOS" button, combined with the automatic detection of the user's location, allows the rapid mobilization of the members of the Police, therefore also the immediate provision of assistance to the victims.
Regarding the criteria, the program manager stated that access to the application can be given after reporting or submitting a complaint about an incident of domestic violence to the Police, or after submitting an application. Those interested can locate the application on the Police website, fill it in and submit it to the District Investigation Units of Domestic Violence Cases.
6 – 7 minutes of response
The response time of a patrol car is critical from the moment a woman is asked for help. The "call" for help is transmitted in a system to the duty officer and he immediately informs the nearest patrol car depending on the location of the victim. From the data so far, the response time ranges from 6-7 minutes, however there was also a case where it took 12 minutes, due to distance.
As Ms. Nicolaou explained, the institution of the ELPIS application in Cyprus is a particularly important and innovative initiative in the field of dealing with incidents of domestic violence. Based on the data and statistics available to date, the response of the Police through the application is characterized by speed, immediacy and effective coordination.
The ability to immediately send an emergency signal through the "SOS" button, combined with automatic location detection, has contributed substantially to the reduction of reaction time and the faster mobilization of the Police, notes the head of YDYEP.
Overall, the institution of the ELPIS application is evaluated as particularly positive and effective, as it enhances the immediate protection of victims and substantially improves the operational response of the Police in critical situations.
In addition, it has been shown in many cases that the application is an important "tool" in the hands of victims, especially when there is no possibility of contacting the Police by phone or physical presence at a Police Station, due to the presence of the perpetrator in the same place, Ms. Nikolaou observes.
According to the same officer, the operation of the ELPIS application is under continuous evaluation and monitoring, during which a continuous check is carried out for any weaknesses or practical issues that may arise during its implementation in practice.
In this context, relevant data is collected and evaluated, with the aim of identifying areas for improvement. In conclusion, Ms. Nikolaou notes that the general image of the application is considered to be quite good, with positive results in terms of its response and functionality to date.
If weaknesses or areas for improvement are identified, an overall evaluation of the data collected will be carried out, with a view to further enhancing and optimising its effectiveness.
3,782 complaints about violence in the family in 2025
The numbers for domestic violence complaints for 2025 are shocking. A total of 3,782 reports of incidents of violence were submitted, with most of them recorded in Nicosia and Limassol.
According to data maintained by the Sub-Directorate for the Management of Cases of Vulnerable Persons, for 2025 complaints of domestic violence were submitted to the provincial levels of the TAE as follows:
Nicosia: 1,027
Larnaca: 1,006
Limassol: 760
Paphos: 339
Famagusta: 587
Morphou: 63
