Contributed by Rada Elenkova, BGRF
"I hope that by the end of the mandate of the National Assembly, the changes proposed by NMSS in the bill against domestic violence will pass," said Darinka Stancheva from NMSS, who is a national coordinator of the National Assembly’s delegation in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (CEPA). She, as a member the parliament, took part in the first session of CEPA in the Commission on Social Policy where concrete steps have been discussed against domestic violence.
The changes in the Law against Domestic Violence concern the protection of the victims and they would be considered by the Council of Ministers, and then by the National Assembly as it has been suggested by the Minister of Justice Miglena Tacheva.
Along with the changes, a creation of a fund will be proposed for covering the expenses concerning services for the victims of domestic violence. Texts are being proposed criminalizing domestic violence as a phenomenon, which actually is one of the requirements of the Council of Europe’s resolutions on this matter. The amendments will protect children who have become victims of domestic violence. “Every fifth woman worldwide happens to be a victim of domestic violence which is a startling number. It is sad that among the victims are many young people and children”, said the MP.
On the first session of the commission on social policy, it has been recommended that the member countries of the Council of Europe put aside more resources from the national budgets for prevention of domestic violence.
The allocated sum must comply with the national budget framework and the economic growth of the country. It is expected the resources are to be provided in the budget for 2010. “To me, as a politician, the sum itself in this fund is not important. What is important, however, is to be given a green light, because if we don’t put aside any resources for prevention and protection of the victims of domestic violence, we cannot make any progress”, said the MP.
From CEPA’s research becomes clear that the domestic violence problem is not one that affects only the poor or the rich, neither is geographical nor political. The problem exists both in the vertical and horizontal section of the whole society. “Domestic violence is not a 21st century phenomenon because under the term domestic violence we have in mind not only the physical and the psychological abuse but of a great importance are the economic dependence or the rapes inside the family. The problem is very deep and cannot be looked upon only as a mere slap,” said the MP.
Complied from: Expert.bg – 02.02.2009