Safe houses for victims of domestic abuse will be set up across the country, Public Order Michalis Chysochoidis has announced.
The move follows the grisly killing of a 28-year-old woman by her stalking ex-boyfriend, moments after police turned down her request for assistance. Kyriaki Griva was stabbed outside a police precinct in Agioi Anargiroi, sending shockwaves across a country gripping with rising rates of domestic abuse.
Mr. Chrysochoidis said safe houses would be set up at all police precincts to deal with the surging rates. He said the initiative would be introduced within the coming days, retaining however the location of the shelters confidential.
More than 12,000 cases of domestic abuse have been documented in the last year alone with one case being reported every 45 minutes, the minister said.
Experts suspect, however, rates could be significantly higher.