Sharp Increase in Domestic Violence Cases: Prosecutor General's Office Explained the Reason.

The number of registered domestic violence cases in Ukraine has increased by almost 80% compared to last year. This was stated by the head of the Domestic Violence Prevention Department of the Prosecutor General's Office, Iryna Shurkhno.

According to her, to date, 8185 criminal offenses related to domestic violence have been registered, affecting more than five thousand people, most of whom are women and children.

Shurkhno noted that in wartime, the issue of domestic violence may worsen, but the increase in the number of reports indicates increased trust in law enforcement agencies.

«Law enforcement agencies actively interact with state and municipal specialized support services, as well as public organizations, to provide comprehensive assistance to victims: medical, socio-psychological, and legal, as well as temporary shelter at a shelter, crisis room, or another center. However, those suffering from domestic violence often downplay the seriousness of the situation themselves. Many victims continue to live with the abuser and do not seek help because they perceive violence as a personal issue. However, hiding such cases can lead to more serious consequences», said the head of the Domestic Violence Prevention Department of the Prosecutor General's Office.

It should be noted that in January 2024, Ukraine registered a record number of domestic violence cases. This was reported by the open data platform «Opendatabot». In total, 435 domestic violence cases were registered in January, which is almost twice as many as in January of the previous year. According to analysts, the number of domestic violence cases increases year by year - the only exception being the first year of full-scale invasion.

By the way, a group of MPs is proposing to establish liability for stalking - criminal harassment. The relevant bill №12088 appeared on the website of the Verkhovna Rada. According to the explanatory note, stalking is a form of psychological domestic violence, expressed in unwanted obsessive attention to a person, prolonged monitoring of a domestic violence victim, and being near the victim's place of residence.