Legal protection and safety for domestic violence victims

Abstract

The Republic of Armenia by verifying the European Convention on Human Rights has undertaken obligation, to ensure, inter alia, that no person should ever be tortured, degraded or ill-treated in any capacity. Protection from domestic violence falls under the scope of article 3 of the Conventions. Nevertheless, domestic violence, which includes ill treatment components mentioned above, is not criminalized under the Criminal Code of RA. Nowadays lenient sanctions are not justifying themselves. The importance of this topic stems from several disturbing circumstances such as the presented shocking numbers of violence acts against subjects, lack of proficiency within responsible authorities, establishment of violence as a part of family life and culture that is supported within society and lack of prescription of proportionate punishments. The actual hazard that these offences represent in any democratic society violates fundamental human right, includes discrimination, gender-based crimes and builds feeling of impunity within society. In the light of the aforementioned, it is extremely important to analyze legal and social implications where domestic violence is not crime and understand the risks it imposes.