The victims of domestic violence will be provided with protection under a special law. With a view to protecting and strengthening family, respecting main principles of the legislation and ensuring equal chances to women and men, Parliament approved on Thursday, March 1, in second reading, the Law on preventing and countering domestic violence. The Law establishes legal and organisational bases of the activity for preventing and combating domestic violence, defines the authorities empowered to prevent and combat it, sets up the procedure for settling the violence-related cases. The Ministry of Social Protection, as a central public authority, is tasked to work out and promote policies on prevention of domestic violence and social assistance provided to victims. Christian Democrat MP Vlad Cubreacov stated that Moldova needs such a law, given that the family, as social institution, faces a crisis. At the same time, says Cubreacov, this law refers more to combating of domestic violence than to prevention of this phenomenon. The MP also says the church must play a more important role in combating and preventing this phenomenon. The Law on preventing and combating domestic violence will come into effect six months after it will be published in the “Official Monitor of Moldova”.