Minister decries ‘scourge’ of teen and domestic violence

Citizens’ Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos has described the rise in teen violence as a major scourge, while expressing grave concern over increasing cases of domestic violence.

Speaking to ANT1 TV, Theodorikakos said police are taking a methodical approach to juvenile delinquency with the creation of juvenile directorates and school events, noting the link between violence and the internet, and the wrong role models. 

He stressed the importance of cooperation with schools about awareness, but noted that all police can do beyond that is to intervene in a police manner. The point is to avoid this, he noted.

“Police should not arrest 15-year-old children and send them to justice,” he said.

He said police created 11,500 domestic violence case files in 2020, stressing the situation is reaching a tipping point. Police, he said, have established 18 domestic violence bureaus and trained 6,000 officers to handle such issues.