Social and Legal Studios
ISSN 2617-4162
e-ISSN 2617-4170
Publisher: Lviv State University of Internal Affairs
Abstract
Even though the current Ukrainian legislation prescribes certain measures to influence perpetrators in cases of gender-based violence, an urgent restraining order is not part of such measures, which requires expanding the powers of the police to issue urgent restraining orders in cases of gender-based violence. The purpose of this study was to outline this problematic issue and to identify the shortcomings in the legal mechanisms for appealing against urgent restraining orders. The research methodology was based on a systematic and comparative analysis of judicial practice, as well as on sectoral interpretation of legal provisions and analysis of judicial acts. It was found that although the legislation defines most people as perpetrators of domestic violence, judicial practice establishes that such persons can be recognised as such only in cases where they are family members of the perpetrator. The absence of evidence of the latter leads to the closure of cases, regardless of the existence of evidence of violence. Thus, the fact that the victim and the perpetrator do not reside at the same address constitutes sufficient grounds for closing the proceedings due to the inability to confirm the personʼs status as a “perpetrator” (due to the absence of the offender as a legal subject of the offense). This is also the case when applying an urgent restraining order: the lack of evidence of a common household between the parties to the conflict deprives the police officer of the possibility of a quick response in the form of an order. Expanding the powers of the police to issue such an order in cases of gender-based violence will address this gap. The other side of the situation was addressed, specifically the lack of proper legal mechanisms for appealing against the order. Since an urgent restraining order is an act of law enforcement, it does not produce legal consequences and cannot be appealed. At the same time, failure to appeal the order may have negative consequences for individuals, including bringing them to justice for violating the order and/ or committing domestic violence. The practical significance of the findings obtained lies in the possibility of using them as an argumentative basis for protecting the rights of citizens, as well as for formulating an initiative to amend the legislation
Keywords: domestic violence; legal mechanisms of appeal; empowerment of the police; judicial practice; acts of law enforcement
Suggested citation
[1] Alimi, R. & Nurwati, N. (2021). Factors causing domestic violence against women. Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat (JPPM), 2(2), 211-218. doi: 10.24198/jppm.v2i2.34543.
[2] Annisa, S.F. (2020). Children as victims of sexual abuse: Has the law provided enough justice? The Indonesian Journal of International Clinical Legal Education, 2(4), 435-448.
[3] Banarjee, S. (2024). A critical analysis of how sexual violence against women is defined and addressed within existing legal instruments in Bangladesh. Journal of Gender-based Violence, 8(2), 232-249. doi: 10.1332/23986808y2024d000000028.
[4] Beavis, K. (2024). “In a very few years, we stepped several miles”: How eliminating gender-based violence became (and remained) public policy in Norway. Journal of Gender-Based Violence. doi: 10.1332/23986808Y2024D000000033.
[5] Bertsyukh, M. (2020). Features of administrative activities of the National Police of Ukraine in preventing and combating domestic violence. In Topical issues of science and practice: The VII International scientific and practical conference (pp. 203-208). London: ISG-conf.
[6] Blaha, A.B. (2019). Emergency prohibition order as a special measure to combat domestic violence. In V Mohyla legal readings: Search for solutions to current issues of modern legal science (pp. 48-50). Mykolaiv: Publishing House of Petro Mohyla Chernihiv National University.
[7] Bracewell, K., Hargreaves, P. & Stanley, N. (2022). The Consequences of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Stalking Victimisation. Journal of Family Violence, 37, 951-957 doi: 10.1007/ s10896-020-00201-0.
[8] Choirinnisa, S.A. (2022). Law and society approach on legal protection for victims of domestic violence. Semarang State University Undergraduate Law and Society Review, 2(2), 227-248. doi: 10.15294/lsr.v2i2.53756.
[9] Code of Administrative Judicial Procedure of Ukraine. (2005, July). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2747-15#Text.
[10] Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. (1984, December). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/80731-10#Text.
[11] Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. (1950, November). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_004#Text.
[12] Decision of Berislavsky District Court of Kherson Region in Case No. 647/1273/19. (2019, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/81806343.
[13] Decision of Bilokurakynsky District Court of Luhansk Region in Case No. 409/719/20. (2020, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/89172593.
[14] Decision of Borznyansky District Court of Chernihiv Region in Case No. 730/574/23. (2023, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/111206807.
[15] Decision of Borznyansky District Court of Chernihiv Region in Case No. 730/488/23 (2023, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/110876606.
[16] Decision of Cherkasy District Administrative Court in Case No. 580/4608/22. (2023, January). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/108344359.
[17] Decision of Haisynsky District Court of Vinnytsia Region in Case No. 129/2514/21. (2021, September). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/99405893.
[18] Decision of Ivano-Frankivsk District Administrative Court in Case No. 300/2425/23. (2023, July). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/112034946.
[19] Decision of Lviv District Administrative Court in Case No. 380/11299/22. (2023, February). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/108964053.
[20] Decision of Nadvirnyansky District Court of Ivano-Frankivsk Region in Case No. 348/2762/23. (2024, January). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/ 116563835.
[21] Decision of Rivne City Court of Rivne Region in Case No. 569/1977/22. (2022, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/103950980.
[22] Decision of Shchorsky District Court of Chernihiv Region in Case No. 749/695/20. (2020, August). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/91137719.
[23] Decision of Shevchenkivsky District Court of Chernivtsi City in Case No. 727/3995/23. (2023, June). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/111356545.
[24] Decision of Shevchenkivsky District Court of Lviv City in Case No. 466/366/22. (2022, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/104207141.
[25] Decision of Slavutsky City District Court in Case No. 682/147/24. (2024, January). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/116526377.
[26] Decision of Starosambirsky District Court of Lviv Region in Case No. 455/921/24. (2024, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/118349608.
[27] Decision of Teofipolsky District Court of Khmelnytsky Region in Case No. 685/1278/23. (2023, November). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/115116740.
[28] Decision of Ternopil City District Court of Ternopil Region in Case No. 607/8361/23. (2023, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/110943230.
[29] Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in Case No. 3/35-313. (1997, June). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/v002p710-97#Text.
[30] Decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine in Case No. 9-рп/2008. (2008, April). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/v009p710-08#Text.
[31] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 522/3665/17. (2019, February). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/80167902.
[32] Decision of the Supreme Court of Ukraine in Case No. 240/24844/21. (2023, June). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/111568996.
[33] Decision of the Supreme Court of Ukraine in Case No. 640/29515/21. (2023, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/110064762.
[34] Decision of Zalishchytsky District Court of Ternopil Region in Case No. 597/495/24. (2024, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/118150682.
[35] Horbunova, Y.M. (2023). Administrative and legal support for combating domestic violence. (Doctoral dissertation, Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Kharkiv, Ukraine).
[36] JurFem. (2024). Domestic violence in 2023: Data and trends. Retrieved from https://jurfem.com.ua/domashne-nasylstvo-2023/.
[37] Kiuntsli, R., Besaha, I., & Yanchyk, M. (2024). Administrative liability for domestic violence: Qualification issues and prospects for law enforcement. Academic Records of V.I. Vernadsky Taurida National University. Series: Legal Sciences, 35(2), 51- 56. doi: 10.32782/tnu-2707-0581/2024.2.
[38] Law of Ukraine No. 2229-VIII “On Prevention and Counteraction of Domestic Violence”. (2017, December). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2229-19#Text.
[39] Law of Ukraine No. 2866-IV “On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men”. (2005, September). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2866-15#Text.
[40] Makukh, O.V. (2019). On issues of applying the emergency prohibition order. In Organizational and legal foundations of preventing domestic violence: Realities and prospects (pp. 115-118). Zaporizhzhia: KPU.
[41] Marković, S. (2019). Measures for prevention of domestic violence and for protection of victims in Serbia’s legal system with special reference to emergency measures. NBP. Nauka, Bezbednost, Policija, 24(3), 45-63. doi: 10.5937/nabepo24-20916.
[42] Moroz, O.B., & Khatniuk, Y.A. (2024). The role of national police bodies in preventions and countermeasures for household violence. Scientific Bulletin of Uzhhorod National University. Series “Law”, 1(80), 513-521. doi: 10.24144/2307-3322.2023.80.1.78.
[43] Neunkirchner, M.J., & Herbinger, P. (2021). Domestic violence in police operations. Application-orientated and scientifically prepared training material on the IMPRODOVA Training platform. SIAK-Journal − Zeitschrift für Polizeiwissenschaft und Polizeiliche Praxis, 4, 72-81. doi: 10.7396/2021_4_F.
[44] Noer, A.P., & Agustanti, R.D. (2024). The application of the restraining order mechanism to domestic violence crimes. Journal of University of Lampung: Law Review, 7(2), 948-955. doi: 10.26623/julr.v7i2.9416.
[45] OpenDataBot. (2024). A record number of domestic violence cases were registered in 2024. Retrieved from https://opendatabot. ua/analytics/domestic-violence-2023.
[46] Pfitzner, N., & McGowan, J. (2023). Locked out or let in? Learning from victim-survivors’ remote help-seeking experiences during COVID-19. Journal of Gender-based Violence. doi: 10.1332/23986808y2023d000000007.
[47] Rekunenko, T., & Udolova, N. (2021). Liability of the offender in administrative proceedings. Entrepreneurship, Economy and Law, 2, 120-124. doi: 10.32849/2663-5313/2021.2.22.
[48] Sukmanovska, L. (2023). Subjects of the application of special measures to combat domestic violence in Ukraine. Law Scientific Electronic Journal, 10, 433-437. doi: 10.32782/2524-0374/2023-10/104.
[49] Sukmanovska, L.M., & Repan, M.I. (2021). Research of forms and methods of police activity in the direction of prevention and counteraction to domestic violence. In Police activity in Ukraine and European countries: Modern standards and unification options (pp. 413-437). Riga: Baltija Publishing. doi: 10.30525/978-9934-26-185-5-15.
[50] Tolochko, G.V. (2019). Emergency prohibition order as a measure to combat domestic violence: Concept and international experience. In Modern criminological research: Methods, directions, perspectives (pp. 146-148). Kyiv: Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
[51] Unified State Register of Court Decisions. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/.
[52] Williamson, E., Lombard, N., & Brooks-Hay, O. (2020). Domestic violence and abuse, coronavirus, and the media narrative. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 4(2), 289-294. doi: 10.1332/239868023X17029198499776.
[53] Zuhdi, D.A., Sulistyanto, A., & Harahap, H.S. (2024). Dynamics of gender-based violence in Scopus Indexed Publication 2014- 2024: A bibliometric analysis. Bricolage, 10(1), 053. doi: 10.30813/bricolage.v10i1.5115.