Demography and social economy, 2018, 1(32):43-57
doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/dse2018.01.043
УДК 314.18 : 316.42(477)
JEL CLASSIFICATION: I31

G.V. Gerasymenko
PhD (Economics), Senior Researcher
Lеading Researcher of Department
Ptoukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
01032, Ukraine, Kyiv, blvd Taras Shevchenko, 60
Е-mail: geranna@ukr.net

THE PROBLEMS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH THE PRISM OF PUBLIC OPINION
Section: DEMOGRAPHIC PROCESSES AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Language: Ukrainian
Abstract: The article is devoted to development of policy response of law enforcement agencies to the challenges of domestic violence in Ukraine. The objective of the paper is to ground the need in introducing sociological tools for monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of law enforcement officers on combating and preventing domestic violence. The author presents the findings of a special survey of victims who survived domestic violence and sought help from police officers that was conducted with the support of the United Nations Population Fund and initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
According to the findings of the victim’s survey, the main forms of survived violence, the categories of offenders, the circumstances of appeals to law enforcement officers, and the specifics of restrictive measures applied to offenders were analyzed. A special focus of the study was targeted at assessment of the rate of satisfaction of citizens with decisions taken by police at the scene, in terms of the repeated risks of violence, consequences for the family life, and safety expectations of victims.
Assessment of the work of police officers covered multiple aspects of their interaction with citizens: timeliness and effectiveness of the provided aid, transparency and impartiality of acts of police officers, objectivity of their decisions and ensuring victims with proper information about available services and procedures to bring abusers to liability.
The article also outlines public perceptions of the main problems that may encounter when addressing the law enforcement agencies due to domestic violence. The proposed priority measures include: introduction of more severe punishment to abusers, strengthening awaraness raising efforts, and improving professional level of police officers in the context of attitudes to victims. The results of the research can be used for developing the state policy on combating domestic violence and improving the system of social services provided to the victims.
Key words: domestic violence, community policing, mobile police groups on prevention of domestic violence, trust in law enforcement agencies.
References:
1. Zakon Ukrainy vid 07.12.2017 r. «Pro zapobihannia ta protydiiu domashnomu nasylstvu» [The Law of Ukraine of December 7, 2017 «On Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence»] zakon.rada.gov.ua. Retrieved from http://zakon3.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2229-19 [in Ukrainian].
2. Mulugeta, E., & Mekuriaw, D. (2017). Community Policing: Practice, Roles, Challenges and Prospects in Crime Prevention in East Gojjam Administrative Zone. Social Crimonol, 5, 160.
3. Kovalova, O.V. (2007). Sub’iekty zapobihannia nasylstvu v sim’i: povnovazhennia ta kharakterystyka [Subjects of prevention of domestic violence: powers and characteristics]. Aktualni problemy derzhavy i prava - Actual problems of state and law, 25, 460-465 [in Ukrainian].
4. Kovalova, O.V. (2007). Osnovni napriamky udoskonalennia diialnosti sluzhby dilnychnykh inspektoriv militsii shchodo poperedzhennia nasylstva v sim’i [The main directions of improvement of the service of district police inspectors in the prevention of domestic violence]. Visnyk Kharkivskoho natsionalnoho universytetu vnutrishnikh sprav - Bulletin of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, 38, 206-215 [in Ukrainian].
5. Anishhuk, N.V. (2007). Henderne nasylstvo u pravovomu zhytti Ukrainy [Gender Violence in the Legal Life of Ukraine]. Odessa : Yurydychna literature [in Ukrainian].
6. Levchenko, K.B. (2002). Nasylstvo stosovno zhinok: zakonodavchi ta administratyvno-orhanizatsiini zakhody protydii (1995-2002 roky) [Violence against women: legislative and administrative-organizational measures of counteraction (1995-2002)]. Pravo i bezpeka - Law and Security, 2, 90-94 [in Ukrainian].
7. Hrystova, G.O. (n.d.). Nasylstvo v sim’i ta shliakhy yoho poperedzhennia: zakonodavchyi aspekt [Violence in the family and ways to prevent it: the legislative aspect]. khpg.org. Retrieved from www.khpg.org/ru/index.php?id=1215440842 [in Ukrainian].
8. Bondarovska, V.M., Kochemyrovska, O.O., & Laktionovata, H.M. et al. (2010). Stan systemy poperedzhennia nasylstva v sim’i v Ukraini: pravovi, sotsialni, psykholohichni ta medychni aspekty [The state of the system of prevention of domestic violence in Ukraine: legal, social, psychological and medical aspects]. O.O. Kochemyrovska (Ed.). Kyiv : Vydavnytstvo FOP Klymenko Iu.Ia. [in Ukrzainian].
9. Ukraine Demographic and Health Survey (2007). UCSR and Macro International. Calverton. Maryland.
10. Poshyrennia nasylstva shchodo divchat ta zhinok, pidhotovleno GfK Ukraine na zamovlennia YuNFPA, 2014 [The spread of violence against girls and women was prepared by GfK Ukraine on behalf of UNFPA, 2014]. (2014). unfpa.org.ua. Retrieved from: http://www.unfpa.org.ua/files/articles/4/70/GBV%20prevalence%20survey%20%20UA.pdf [in Ukrainian].
11. Ukraina. Multyindykatorne klasterne obstezhennia domohospodarstv, 2012 [Ukraine. Multiindicator Cluster Survey of Households, 2012]. (2013). Derzhsluzhba statystyky Ukrainy. Kyiv : K.I.S. [in Ukrainian].
12. Situation of Older Women in Ukraine (2014). UCSR and UNFPA. Kyiv.
13. De i yak mozhut otrymaty dopomohu postrazhdali vid nasylstva v sim’i: Zvit za rezultatamy monitorynhu spetsialnykh zakladiv [Where and how can help victims of domestic violence: Report on monitoring results of specialist institutions]. (2012). Minsocpolityky. Kyiv : La Strada-Ukraina [in Ukrainian].
14. Demchenko, I. Analitychnyi zvit za rezultatamy sotsiolohichnoho doslidzhennia «Dostupnist sotsialnykh posluh zhinkam, yaki postrazhdaly vid nasylstva» [Analytical report on the results of a sociological study «Accessibility of social services to women who have suffered from violence»] (2014). JuNFPA . Minsocpolityky Ukrainy. Kyiv [in Ukraininan].
15. Genderno-obumovlene nasylstvo v rehionakh, yaki postrazhdaly vid konfliktu. Zvit za rezultatamy doslidzhennia [Gender-based violence in the regions affected by the conflict. Report on the results of the study] (2015). UCSR, UNFPA. unfpa.org.ua. Retrieved from: http://www.unfpa.org.ua/files/articles/6/55/GBV%20Prevalence%20Survey_UKR.pdf [in Ukraininan].
16. Ekonomichni naslidky nasylstva shchodo zhinok v Ukraini [The Economic Consequences of Violence Against Women in Ukraine] (2017). UNFPA, NGO «Ukrainian Center for Social Reforms». Kyiv. [in Ukrainian].

» pdf