Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrisochoidis presented a set of new guidelines to improve police management and responses to incidents of domestic violence during his address to 2,500 police officers on Friday via a teleconference.
His initiative came in the wake of the murder of a 28-year-old woman by her partner on Monday outside a police station in northeastern Athens. The victim was stabbed to death after failing to secure police protection.
After urging law enforcement officers to fully utilize a 2021 guide on managing domestic violence incidents, he announced the incorporation of 4 key additions to aid in the handling of such incidents:
1) The appointment of a senior officer to monitor domestic violence complaints,
2) The dispatch of a weekly report on complaints and their management to each Police to ensure internal monitoring and accountability.
3) The Officer on duty would be tasked to inform the Department Commander and the supervisor of the Police Directorate for each incident,
4) Safe transportation and accommodation are ensured for each victim until the danger to their life ceases.
In his address, the Citizen Protection Minister urged officers to handle victims with empathy and provide them with full support. “Citizens want and must feel safe when they come to us. In every case of domestic violence, we are obligated to do everything possible to ensure that the woman feels safe and to be sure before she leaves there, that she will continue to be safe,” he emphasized.
By the end of May, 45 new Domestic Violence Response Offices are slated to be established throughout Greece, and the use of the Panic Button will be expanded nationwide.
