Seven years after the start of the implementation of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, a central data record has not yet been established, nor is there a publicly available report that integrates data from different sources. The Autonomous Women's Center has been collecting data and preparing reports since the beginning of the implementation of the Law. In 2023, 28,413 incidents of domestic violence were registered, the most in the period 2018-2022. Men were the most frequent perpetrators of domestic violence (82.8%), and among the victims, women were dominantly represented (71.8%).

Compared to the previous year, there was a slight increase in the number of risky procedures, the number of police orders, the number of perpetrators who were issued an order and those who had a temporary restraining order. A slightly more significant increase was registered in the number of orders for both emergency measures and the measure of temporary removal from the apartment/house. The number of cases discussed at the meetings of the Coordination and Cooperation Group has also increased, as well as the number of perpetrators who have repeated the crime. A significant increase was also recorded in the number of individual protection and support plans created, and a dramatic positive upsurge was recorded in the number of victims who participated in the meetings of the Coordination and Cooperation Groups, but this is a consequence of the extremely low participation of victims in the meetings in previous years.

However, in 2023, compared to the previous year, there was a slight decrease in the number of proposals for the extension of emergency measures and the number of extended emergency measures, which does not correspond to the increase in the number of police orders for emergency measures. The number of misdemeanor reports for violation of emergency measures also decreased. When it comes to the reduction in the number of cases in which information is collected or there is a reasonable suspicion that a criminal offense has been committed, that data does not necessarily reflect a reduction in the number of initiated investigative procedures, bearing in mind the increase in the number of perpetrators who have been repeatedly imposed emergency measures. However, since 2019, there has been a steady decline in criminal reports for the crime of domestic violence.

Figures on the gender of perpetrators and victims of domestic violence consistently confirm the gendered nature of this type of violence. The kinship relationship between the victim and the perpetrator of domestic violence is dominated (53.6%) by a partner relationship (marital, extramarital, emotional, current and former). Men are the most frequent perpetrators of violence against women (91.5%), most often their partners (65.9%) and other male relatives (25.6%). Men are most often the perpetrators of violence against men who are victims of violence (67.5%), while women, partners (21.7%) and relatives (10.3%) commit other types violence. And these data unequivocally confirm the gendered nature of domestic violence.    

There was no significant change in the number of persons registered for the criminal acts of stalking and sexual harassment, and the number of convicted persons is still disproportionately low in relation to the number of reports and the number of investigations conducted.

The presented data on the actions of Social Welfare Centers are from the previous year (because reports for 2023 have not yet been published) and are not in accordance with the type of data that should be contained in the records of that body in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence. In 2022, the Centers recorded 38,896 reports of domestic violence, and this is a big difference compared to the number of incidents registered by the police in the same year (and it is not clear how it occurs). The content of individual protection and support plans for victims remains unknown. When it comes to measures taken by Social Welfare Centers in the protection of victims, as in previous years, it is stated that it is most often the provision of material, legal or professional advisory support and assistance.

The Council for Suppression of Domestic Violence held only one session in the convocation of the Government 2022-2023.  The Ministry of Justice and the Council, with the support of UN Women, drafted the text of the new General Protocol on handling and multisectoral cooperation in situations of gender-based violence against women and domestic violence, which was adopted by the Government's Conclusion on 3/29/2024.  There is no information on how participatory the process of drafting the new General Protocol was, but it should be said that this document explains the role of specialized women's organizations to support victims of violence, and it remains to be seen whether the special (sectoral) protocols will retain the same, and especially whether these organizations should really be included and respected.

The twelfth report on the implementation of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence can be read HERE.

The infographic showing key data from the twelfth report can be seen HERE.