Domestic violence in Cyprus: police, exclusion orders and support
Domestic violence in Cyprus is a criminal matter, and the law gives victims tools to be protected quickly, including against a partner, former partner or other family member who lives in the same home. Two laws apply side by side. The Violence in the Family (Prevention and Protection of Victims) Law of 2000 (Law 119(I)/2000) covers violence within the family, provides for Family Counsellors of the Social Welfare Services and allows the court to issue an exclusion order prohibiting the abuser from entering or staying in the family home. The Prevention and Combating of Violence against Women and Domestic Violence Law of 2021 (Law 115(I)/2021), adopted to implement the Istanbul Convention, adds specific offences and allows the court, on an ex parte application of the victim, the police, the Attorney General or the Social Welfare Services, to issue an interim order for the protection of the victim, valid for up to eight days and extendable, in total up to 60 days before prosecution and then until the end of the criminal trial. This guide explains how to get immediate help, report to the police, obtain an exclusion or removal order, protect children and plan the next steps, including divorce, maintenance and housing. In an emergency, call 112 or 199.
Key facts
Deadline
Immediate danger: call 112 or 199. A person arrested on a court warrant for an act of violence must be brought before the court within 24 hours (Law 119(I)/2000, section 15). An interim order under section 30 of Law 115(I)/2021 is valid for up to 8 days from service on the suspect, can be extended by further periods of up to 8 days, and in total up to 60 days before prosecution; after prosecution, until the case is tried.
What to do
Get to safety and call for help. If you or your children are in immediate danger, call 112 or 199 and leave the home if you can. Police officers must respond, record the complaint and take measures to protect you. The Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) runs a 24-hour helpline (1440) and shelters.
If you are injured, go to the hospital emergency department and ask for your injuries to be recorded and photographed. Medical reports are key evidence.
Report the violence to the police. Make a written statement describing what happened, when and where, who was present, and any earlier incidents. Bring photographs, messages, recordings and the names of witnesses. Under Law 119(I)/2000, statements made by the victim to family members or close persons within a reasonable time after the act can also be evidence.
The police may arrest the suspect. If the court issues a warrant, the arrested person must be brought before the court within 24 hours to be charged or remanded (section 15 of Law 119(I)/2000).
Ask for an exclusion order to keep the abuser out of the home. Under section 22 of Law 119(I)/2000, the court can, on the application of a family member, the police, the prosecutor, the Attorney General or the Family Counsellor, issue an interim order excluding the suspect from the home, or removing a minor victim, until the criminal case is filed and tried. Under section 23, the court can issue an exclusion order against the accused prohibiting him or her from entering or remaining in the family home.
The Family Counsellor examines the family's situation, including where the excluded person will live, and reports to the court.
Use the protection order of the 2021 Law. Under section 30 of Law 115(I)/2021, the court can issue an interim order on an ex parte application of the victim, the police, the Attorney General or the Social Welfare Services, supported by an affidavit or other evidence showing a prima facie risk of violence, repetition or pressure on the victim. The order is valid for up to 8 days from service on the suspect; at the return hearing the court can end it or extend it by up to 8 days, and in total up to 60 days before prosecution.
After prosecution, the court can issue or extend the order until the case is tried. Under section 31, the court can also order the removal of the victim to a safe place.
Protect the children. If children have witnessed or suffered violence, the Social Welfare Services must be informed and can take protective measures, including a medical examination of a child where abuse is suspected. Ask the Family Court for urgent interim orders on residence and contact, and for supervised contact if needed.
If there is a risk that the abuser will take the children abroad, ask for an order prohibiting removal from Cyprus and for their passports to be deposited.
Keep a record and preserve evidence. Keep a diary of incidents with dates, injuries and threats; save messages and emails; store copies of documents (identity cards, passports, birth certificates, bank details) in a safe place or with someone you trust.
If the abuser violates an order, report it to the police immediately. Breach of court orders and further violence are dealt with as separate offences.
Plan legal next steps. Violence against a spouse or child is a ground on which serious breakdown of the marriage is presumed for divorce under section 27 of the Marriage Law. You can apply to the Family Court for maintenance for yourself and the children, for parental care and residence of the children, and for property measures.
Legal aid may be available to victims of domestic violence in criminal and related family proceedings, depending on circumstances; ask the police, SPAVO or the court registry.
Get continuing support. Victims can receive psychological, social and legal support from the Social Welfare Services, SPAVO and other organisations, and in many cases accommodation in a shelter. Foreign victims whose residence depends on the abuser should seek advice on their own residence status.
The criminal case may take time. Ask the police officer in charge to keep you informed and tell them if you are pressured to withdraw your complaint.
What to watch out for
- Not seeking medical treatment and documentation of injuries immediately.
- Deleting threatening messages or call logs; they are evidence.
- Allowing the abuser back into the home while an exclusion or protection order is in force.
- Leaving the children with the abuser without a court arrangement after you leave the home.
- Withdrawing the complaint under pressure. Tell the police if you are being pressured.
- Leaving your passport and documents behind when escaping; keep copies in a safe place.
Legal basis
Related court decisions
Frequently asked questions
Who can I call about domestic violence in Cyprus?
In an emergency, call 112 or 199 for the police. The Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (SPAVO) runs a 24-hour helpline on 1440 and shelters. The Social Welfare Services also provide Family Counsellors and support.
Can the court order my partner to leave the house?
Yes. Under sections 22 and 23 of Law 119(I)/2000, the court can issue an interim or final exclusion order prohibiting the suspect or accused from entering or remaining in the family home. The application can be made by a family member, the police, the prosecutor, the Attorney General or the Family Counsellor.
How long does an emergency protection order last?
An interim order under section 30 of Law 115(I)/2021 lasts up to 8 days from service on the suspect and can be extended by further periods of up to 8 days, up to 60 days in total before prosecution. After prosecution, it can last until the criminal case is tried.
Do I need a lawyer to get a protection order?
No. The victim can apply, and the police, the Attorney General or the Social Welfare Services can apply on the victim's behalf. A lawyer helps, especially with related family matters, and legal aid may be available.
Is psychological violence a crime in Cyprus?
Yes. Law 119(I)/2000 defines violence broadly, covering not only physical but also sexual and psychological harm to a family member, and Law 115(I)/2021 adds specific offences of violence against women and domestic violence in line with the Istanbul Convention. Report repeated threats, control and intimidation, not only physical attacks.
Can I get a divorce because of violence?
Yes. Under section 27 of the Marriage Law, serious breakdown of the marriage is presumed if the respondent used violence against the spouse or a child. The Family Court can also make urgent orders on the children and maintenance.
What happens to the children?
The Social Welfare Services must be informed and can take protective measures. The Family Court can make urgent orders on residence and contact, including supervised contact, in the children's best interests.
I am a foreigner and my residence permit depends on my partner. What can I do?
Report the violence anyway; your safety comes first. Ask the police, SPAVO or a lawyer about your residence options as a victim of domestic violence, and about applying for a permit in your own right.
Will the abuser be told where I am staying?
No. Shelters keep their addresses confidential, and you can ask the police and the court not to disclose your new address. In court papers, ask your lawyer or the Family Counsellor how to protect your address and that of the children.
Can a protection order be issued without the abuser being present?
Yes. The interim order under section 30 of Law 115(I)/2021 is issued on an ex parte application, without notifying the suspect first. The suspect is then served and heard at the return hearing fixed by the court within the eight-day period.
Legal guide – individual how-tos
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