In Nizhyn, the public and law enforcement are establishing cooperation in the field of combating domestic violence in local communities

On August 5, 2021, a round table was held at the premises of the Nizhyn City Council on the topic: “Establishing interaction between entities implementing measures in the field of preventing and combating domestic violence.”

The event was initiated by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights together with the Main Department of the National Police of the Chernihiv Region. Representatives of the Nizhyn Local Center for the Provision of Free Secondary Legal Aid, local governments, children’s services, social protection institutions and the human rights community of the region also participated in the meeting.

The participants were greeted with a welcoming speech by the project coordinator of the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights

Nadiya Edieva

. The human rights activist spoke about the conflicts and gaps in the legislation on preventing and combating domestic violence, focusing on the judicial practice on issuing urgent prohibitory and restrictive orders.

As noted by the Deputy Head of the Department of Preventive Activities of the Regional Police

Andriy Zelyak

, in May of this year, a mobile group to respond to facts of domestic violence started working in the Nizhyn District Police Department. Over the three months of work, police officers drew up 86 administrative protocols against domestic abusers under Article 173-2 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. The police worked with all offenders and put them on preventive registration.

– In total, since the beginning of the year, police officers in Nizhyn have put 172 abusers on preventive registration. The police have brought five people to administrative responsibility for committing domestic violence three or more times. The issue of bringing them to criminal responsibility under Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (domestic violence) is currently being resolved. It provides for a punishment of community service lasting 150 hours – up to restriction of liberty for a term of up to five years, or two years of imprisonment, – said

Andriy Zelyak

.

The head of the children’s service of the Nizhyn City Council, Natalia Racyn, expressed interest in cooperation with the National Police and other entities that carry out measures in the field of preventing and combating domestic violence. In turn, the official emphasized the need to establish cooperation between all bodies and entities for a more prompt and effective response to cases of domestic violence.

Chief Specialist of the Department of Organization of Social Services of the Department of Social Protection of the Population of the Nizhyn City Council

Tetyana Derevyanko

, spoke about the possibility of placing elderly people suffering from domestic violence in a residential institution. And such applications in the Nizhyn community are not uncommon.

Olena Ivanova

, Deputy Director of the Nizhyn Local Center for the Provision of Free Secondary Assistance, noted that in her work she often encounters the reluctance of victims of domestic violence to seek help from police officers and lawyers, which somewhat complicates the task of lawyers to collect evidence to apply to the court with an application for the issuance of a restraining order. At the same time, representatives of the BVPD center, in addition to legal support, conduct extensive preventive and consulting work for persons who suffer or may suffer from domestic violence, and provide the population with information materials.

For their part, police representatives invited all interested parties to join joint preventive raids to identify and prevent cases of domestic violence in families that are registered.

The event was organized by the Chernihiv Public Committee for the Protection of Human Rights as part of the implementation of the project “Enhancing Security – Building the Community” with the support of the US Embassy in Ukraine.