Community started to realize gravity of domestic violence, NGO

More and more women subject to domestic violence began to seek legal or psychological assistance from the International Center “La Strada”, shows a report for last year that was presented in a news conference on March 7, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the report, the number of calls made in 2011 rose by 17% on 2010. “This fact shows that the community started to realize the gravity of domestic violence and reacts to our awareness raising campaigns. This is also confirmed by the increase in the number of calls from relatives, neighbors and acquaintances. But the problem is that the young women see the violence in the relations between the parents and do not know how to act when they are in such situations,” said Daniela Misail-Nichitin, deputy head of the Center “La Strada”. The women aged 21-26 need psychological assistance as they depend psychologically and economically on the aggressor. The women aged between 27 and 35 need legal assistance more. They work and are psychologically independent, but do not know what they must do in such cases. Lawyer for child rights protection Doina-Ioana Straisteanu said the reaction of the law enforcement bodies to the cases of domestic violence is not always appropriate. “There are cases when the victim seeks help from the police, but the law enforcement bodies do nothing but put a fine on the aggressor. It is paid from the common budget of the family or even by the victim. That’s why, when a woman calls, we advise her to ask for a protection order, which obliges the aggressor to leave the common place of residence for 30 - 90 days,” she stated. The specialists insist on the institution of specialized services for aggressors, which would be a novelty for Moldova, and on the inclusion of new provisions concerning different types of court orders in the legislation so as to protect the victims.