Violence must be reported. Reporting such acts to the authorities is a first step in condemning the violence. This is the message conveyed to the public by the General Police Inspectorate (IGP), which joins the United Nations’ campaign “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence” (November 25 - December 10). Police do not support violent actions in the family in any way and urges those who know about a case of violence to call the short number 112, IGP said in a press release.
In the first 10 months of this year the Police issued about 5,000 emergency restraining orders against domestic aggressors. At the same time, over 12,000 cases that violate family values were registered. In most cases, women have become victims of domestic violence. But there are also 56 cases in which women were the perpetrators.
Domestic violence is often swept under the carpet or is not being perceived as a crime at all, with victims suffering for months or even years. An important goal of the Campaign is to inform and raise public awareness about the serious consequences of domestic violence, as well as to apply the available mechanisms to prevent and combat this phenomenon, says IGP.
People who suspect the existence of a family abuse are advised to talk separately with the victim, to show the victim that she or he is not alone. “Assure the victim that you are ready to listen to her or his problems and that what she or he tells you will be confidential. There are also cases where the victim do not want you to know the situation. Respect her or his decision and just tell her or him that you are ready to help when needed”, say the police.
In March 2017, the Moldovan legislation adopted the emergency restraining order as a provisional measure to protect victims of domestic violence. IGP says that the police react immediately to such cases and removes the perpetrator from the family instantly, without any court instructions or formal complaints from the victim. A court protection order can then be issued, which if violated can send the perpetrator to prison.
November 25, the campaign’s start date, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and December 10, the end of the campaign, is the International Human Rights Day, to emphasize that violence is a violation of human rights.
In this respect, the General Police Inspectorate calls on members of the public to join the efforts of the authorities in combating this phenomenon and act without delay they witness such cases.
