Social and Legal Studios
ISSN 2617-4162
e-ISSN 2617-4170
Publisher: Lviv State University of Internal Affairs
Abstract
The relevance of this study is driven by the need to improve the legal mechanisms for protecting victims of domestic violence in Ukraine. The aim of this research was to identify the specific features of civil law aspects of protection against domestic violence in Ukraine compared to administrative and criminal law approaches, with an emphasis on the necessity of implementing a systematic approach to safeguarding the rights of victims. A comprehensive methodology was applied in this work, encompassing comparative analysis, examination of current legislation, judicial practice, and legal application in Ukraine. The main findings of the research demonstrated that there are three primary grounds for implementing measures against perpetrators: (1) within the framework of administrative and criminal proceedings, (2) protection of victimsʼ civil rights through civil proceedings, and (3) service-based interventions by the National Police, particularly the issuance of an urgent restraining order. Importantly, these measures are not mutually exclusive and can be applied simultaneously or in parallel. Special attention was given to procedural differences, such as evidence requirements, regulatory frameworks, and the objectives of these measures. It was emphasized that the legal mechanism of a restraining order can be applied in the absence of a legal offense, based solely on the presence of substantiated risks of violations of fundamental human rights, a characteristic more commonly associated with civil law remedies. The study highlighted the importance of civil legislation, which provides mechanisms for protecting victimsʼ rights before they are actually violated, as well as the distinctions between civil, administrative, and criminal consequences of domestic violence. The research established that a restraining order in Ukraine can be considered a form of civil liability (in the broadest sense of the term) aimed at ensuring the safety of victimsʼ rights and freedoms from domestic violence. The practical value of this work lies in creating a scientific basis for improving law enforcement practices and enhancing the protection of individuals suffering from domestic violence through the use of appropriate legal mechanisms tailored to specific situations
Keywords: domestic violence; legal protection mechanisms; civil offense; judicial practice; acts of law enforcement
Suggested citation
[1] Agnew-Brune, C., Moracco, K.E., Person, C.J., & Bowling, J.M. (2017). Domestic violence protective orders: A qualitative examination of judgesʼ decision-making processes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(13), 1921-1942. doi: 10.1177/0886260515590126.
[2] Alsinai, A., Reygers, M., DiMascolo, L., Kafka, J., Rowhani-Rahbar, A., Adhia, A., Bowen, D., Shanahan, S., Dalve, K., & Ellyson, A.M. (2023). Use of immigration status for coercive control in domestic violence protection orders. Frontiers in Sociology, 8. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2023.1146102.
[3] Andriievska, L. (2022). Restraining order as a case of special proceedings in civil procedure of Ukraine. Krakowskie Studia Małopolskie, 34, 99-112.
[4] Barrick, A., & OʼDonnell, M. (2024). Domestic violence survivors and the intermediate appellate courts. Journal of Policy Practice & Research, 5, 101-118. doi: 10.1007/s42972-024-00099-8.
[5] Bejinariu, A., Troshynski, E.I., & Miethe, T.D. (2019). Orders of civil protection and the context of the courtroom: The impact of gatekeepers on legal decisions. Journal of Family Violence, 34(3), 231-243. doi: 10.1007/s10896-018-9999-7.
[6] Çitak, T. (2012). The Austrian Protection against violence act and its impact on migrant women as victims of domestic violence. In J. Barla (Ed.), Violence and agency: Queer-feminist perspectives (pp. 249-258). Freiburg: Campus Verlag.
[7] Civil Code of Ukraine. (2003, January). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/435-15#Text.
[8] Civil Procedural Code of Ukraine. (2004, March). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/ show/1618-15#Text.
[9] Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. (1984, December). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/80731-10#Text.
[10] Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention). (2011, May). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/994_001-11#Text.
[11] Cordier, R., Chung, D., Wilkes-Gillan, S., & Speyer, R. (2021). The effectiveness of protection orders in reducing recidivism in domestic violence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(4), 804-828. doi: 10.1177/1524838019882361.
[12] Criminal Code of Ukraine. (2001, April). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2341-14#Text.
[13] Criminal Procedural Code of Ukraine. (2012, April). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/4651-17#Text.
[14] Decision of the Cherkasy Court of Appeal in Case No. 692/1033/23. (2024, July). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/120477315.
[15] Decision of the Chernihiv Court of Appeal in Case No. 750/2548/23. (2024, March). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/117865563.
[16] Decision of the Chernihiv Court of Appeal in Case No. 751/3383/23. (2024, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/118279944.
[17] Decision of the Chernihiv Court of Appeal in Case No. 751/9455/23. (2024, June). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/119990291.
[18] Decision of the Chernivtsi Court of Appeal in Case No. 718/849/24. (2024, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/118612529.
[19] Decision of the Lviv Court of Appeal in Case No. 450/704/23. (2024, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/118997772.
[20] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 130/904/16-ц. (2019, March). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/90227997.
[21] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 163/1088/17-ц. (2019, October). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/85412599.
[22] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 372/165/18. (2020, January). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/87297925.
[23] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 404/5512/15-ц. (2020, February). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/87826746.
[24] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 501/5358/15-ц. (2019, June). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/82797730.
[25] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 509/7151/23. (2024, June). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/120088797.
[26] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 607/14637/22. (2023, May). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/110999285.
[27] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 607/15692/17. (2019, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/81425446.
[28] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 640/11739/15-ц. (2020, November). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/92902585.
[29] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 738/387/19. (2021, March). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/88338153.
[30] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 753/2965/20. (2021, September). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/100816873.
[31] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 754/11171/19. (2020, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/89034240.
[32] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 755/12796/20. (2022, February). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/103826192.
[33] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 756/3859/19. (2018, September). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/84092340.
[34] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 823/2108/18. (2023, February). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/108857671.
[35] Decision of the Supreme Court in Case No. 921/182/20. (2021, October). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/100358114.
[36] Decision of the Zaporizhzhya Court of Appeal in Case No. 332/6275/23. (2024, April). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/118686508.
[37] Deixler-Hübner, A., Fucik, R., & Mayrhofer, M. (2018). Protection against violence and family crises: ABGB, ÄrzteG, AußStrG, B-KJHG, EheG, EO, EuSchMaVO, HKÜ, SPG, StGB, StPO, VOG, ZPO. Graz: Verlag Österreich.
[38] Groggel, A. (2021). The role of place and sociodemographic characteristics on the issuance of temporary civil protection orders. Law & Society Review, 55(1), 38-69. doi: 10.1111/lasr.12528.
[39] Hardesty, J.L., Park, S.Y., Maniotes, C.R., Akinbode, T.D., Chen, H., & Ogolsky, B.G. (2024). Violence risk or writing quality? Predicting relief outcomes from protective order narratives. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi: 10.1177/08862605241262220.
[40] Hlovyuk, I. (2022a). Overview of the Supreme Court practice. Retrieved from http://surl.li/lukhvm.
[41] Hlovyuk, I. (2022b). Restraining order and criminal proceedings under Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Issues of the Supreme Courtʼs judicial practice. In Gender studies in higher education: Modern challenges and achievements: Materials of the All-Ukrainian scientific-pedagogical qualification enhancement, (pp. 27-30). Odesa: Helvetyka Publishing House.
[42] Hrytsenko, L. (2000). Restraining orders: Reasons for refusal and recommendations for effective application. Bulletin of the National Association of Advocates of Ukraine, 5(63), 44-53.
[43] Kafka, J.M., Moracco, K.E., Barrington, C., & Mortazavi, A.L. (2019). Judging domestic violence from the bench: A narrative analysis of judicial anecdotes about domestic violence protective order cases. Qualitative Health Research, 29(8), 1132-1144. doi: 10.1177/1049732318821691.
[44] Kanzafarova, I. (2007). Theoretical foundations of civil liability in Ukraine. (Doctoral dissertation, V.M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law, Kyiv, Ukraine).
[45] Karnaukh, B. (2012). The essence and phenomenon of civil liability. Bulletin of the Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, 2, 287- 299.
[46] Khan, N., Bashir, N., & Shehzad, N. (2023). Domestic violence: The psychological and legal factors that affect reporting, prosecution, and sentencing. Sir Syed Journal of Education & Social Research (SJESR), 6(1), 139-146. doi: 10.36902/sjesr-vol6- iss1-2023(139-146).
[47] Kolisnyk, O. (2020). Discretionary powers of the court regarding the issuance of restraining orders. In K.V. Husarov (Ed.), Materials of the round table dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding scholar in civil procedural law, Doctor of Law, Professor Semen Yuliyovych Katz (pp. 68-73). Kharkiv: LLC “Oberih”.
[48] Korotka, N. (2020). Consideration by the court of cases on the issuance of a restrictive order. Scientific Bulletin of Uzhhorod National University, 60, 41-44. doi: 10.32782/2307-3322/2020.60.8.
[49] 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.
[50] Levchenko, K. & Lehenka, M. (2018). Emergency prohibition and restraining orders as special forms of response to cases of domestic violence: International experience and national practice. Law and Security, 4, 60-65.
[51] Logan, T. (2021). Examining relationship and abuse tactics associated with nonfatal strangulation experiences before and after a protective order. Violence and Gender, 8(2), 95-103. doi: 10.1089/vio.2020.0012.
[52] Nadion, V. (2019). The correlation between the categories of “sanction” and “civil liability”. In Topical issues of private law: Materials of the XVII scientific-practical conference dedicated to the 97th anniversary of the birth of Doctor of juridical science, professor, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR V.P. Maslov (pp. 100-103). Kharkiv: Pravo.
[53] Redding, E., Moracco, K., Barrington, C., & Corbo, A. (2023). “He will not leave us alone and I need the courts to help”: Defendantsʼ use of nonphysical violence in domestic violence protective order cases. Violence Against Women, 29(5), 1044- 1059. doi: 10.1177/10778012221101921.
[54] Resolution of Supreme Court of Ukraine No. 4 “On Judicial Practice in Cases of Compensation for Moral (Non-property) Damage”. (1995, March). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/v0004700-95#Text.
[55] Shah, N., Nguyen, Wagman, J., & Glik, D. (2022). Factors influencing the use of domestic violence restraining orders in Los Angeles. Violence Against Women, 29(9), 1604-1622. doi: 10.1177/10778012221120442.
[56] Shyshka, R., & Shyshka, O. (2012). Civil liability and tort obligations. University Scientific Notes, 1, 271-280.
[57] Sirotkina, M. (2023). Restraining order through the prism of the Istanbul Convention provisions (Supreme Court case law). In I.V. Hlovyuk & N.R. Lashchuk (Eds.), Ukraine – EU: Issues of harmonization of criminal and criminal procedural legislation (pp. 114-118). Lviv: Lviv State University of Internal Affairs.
[58] Slipchenko, O. (2019). The limits of the application of the concept of “civil liability”. Modernization of civil liability. In R.A. Maidanyk (Ed.), Matveev civil law readings. Materials of the international scientific-practical conference (pp. 267-271). Kyiv.
[59] Spearman, K., Marineau, L., Owolabi, A., Alexander, K., & Campbell, J. (2023). Firearms and post-separation abuse: Providing context behind the data on firearms and intimate partner violence. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(4), 1484-1496. doi: 10.1111/ jan.15933.
[60] Stoyanova, T., & Ostrovska, L. (2021). Obstacles to the application of restraining orders as a means of combating domestic violence: National judicial practice and the practice of the European Court of Human Rights. Scientific Papers of the National University “Odesa Law Academy”, 28, 110-116. doi: 10.32837/npnuola.v28i0.703.
[61] Supreme Court of Ukraine. (2021). Review of the practice of the Civil Cassation Court of the Supreme Court regarding the issuance of a restraining order. Retrieved from https://supreme.court.gov.ua/userfiles/media/new_folder_for_uploads/supreme/Ogliad_KCS_1.pdf.
[62] Tsuvina, T. (2020). The principle of the rule of law in civil proceedings. In K.V. Husarov (Ed.), Proceedings of the round table dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding scholar in the field of civil procedural law (pp. 115-119). Kharkiv: LLC “Oberih”.
[63] Tsyrkunenko, O. (2021). Restraining order as a judicial form of protection against domestic violence. In Current issues of private and public law: Materials of the III International scientific and practical internet conference dedicated to the 92nd anniversary of the birth of Professor Protsevskyi O.I. (pp. 264-267). Kharkiv, Ukraine.
[64] Turlova, Y. (2018). Restraining orders against the abuser as a special measure to combat domestic violence. Bulletin of the National Academy of Prosecution of Ukraine, 4(2), 20-31.
[65] Unified State Register of Court Decisions. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/.
[66] Weitzmann, J. (2014). Cyber-mobbing, cyberbullying und was can do about it. Retrieved from https://cryptoparty-tuebingen.de/files/20190209/Schwerpunkt_8_Cybermobbing.pdf.
[67] Yashchenko, A., & Shynkarchuk, A. (2021). Some reflections on the distinction between special measures to combat domesticviolence defined in various branches of national law. Bulletin of the Criminological Association of Ukraine, 2(25), 24-32.
[68] Zozuliak, O., & Paruta, Y. (2021). Prospective directions for improving civil liability. Scientific Bulletin of Uzhhorod National University. Series: Law, 63, 141-146.