With the implementation of the law on the prevention and combating of family violence adopted on March 1, 2008, Moldova acquired a new legislative lever for regulating the relations in the families that witness domestic violence, Info-Prim Neo reports. Moldova made a first step towards combating violence in the family. The subject was discussed on March 24 at a seminar designed to inform and train the specialists with a view to combating family violence by strengthening the capacities of the persons working in the area. Though the phenomenon of violence was and is present in the Moldovan society, it was not widely discussed and addressed. Certain actions and components typical of the given phenomenon are not regarded as related to violence. Valentina Bodrug-Lungu, doctor, university lecturer and president of the “Gender Center”, says that the things are rather serious because the population does not perceive the violence as something negative. According to her, the phenomenon takes proportions especially because the population is not informed. As the young people don’t acquire the necessary knowledge, the cases of sexual violence increase. Valentina Bodrug-Lungu considers that the education establishments should teach a subject that would lay emphasis on the development of life habits and would broadly inform about violence. According to the psychologist of the municipal Division for Children’s Rights Protection, Aurelia Pospai, the children, women and the elderly are most frequently abused in Moldova. She considers that the violence appears because the people are not informed and because they cannot control themselves. The information about the violent behavior and its causes is not adequately disseminated within society. “The violence accompanies us not only because there is no control or a certain punishment, but also because of lack of culture,” Aurelia Pospai said. The psychologist also said that the victims must know that it was not a shame to report an act of violence. The abused persons must know that they now can protect themselves from the abusers. An ample program aimed at informing about violence will be implemented in the future. The law on the prevention and combating of violence in the family was adopted by the Parliament on March 1, 2007 and promulgated by President of Moldova on March 11, 2008. The law provides that it is applied in cases of domestic violence that contains constitutive elements of an administrative contravention or of an offence. Also, the cases of family violence can be mediated at the request of the sides.