On domestic violence and measures taken in Kazakhstan in the context of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic

Considering that the majority of the population is at home, citizen’s complaints regarding domestic violence are taken under special control. According to the information of the Ministy of Interior since the beginning of quarantine on March 16, 2020 more than 15 thousand complaints have bben registered regarding domestic violence. For committing such offenses, more than 200 citizens were brought to criminal prosecution, and 4.7 thousand citizens were brought to administrative liability in the form of fines or administrative arrest.

In connection with the growth of domestic violence during quarantine, the police began to apply new methods of control. Practically everywhere where there is mobile communication, those who are accountable and prone to committing offenses are checked remotely - through a video call from social messengers. The opportunity to quickly monitor such persons without visiting, to visually observe the situation in the house, to assess the condition of a person during a conversation, to receive answers to necessary questions is used. Daily monitoring of appeals of citizens on offenses committed in the field of family-domestic relations is carried out.

During the state of emergency, in order to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence, police officers issued about 7 thousand protective orders.

The courts, at the request of the police department, imposed special requirements on behavior with respect to about 800 offenders (including the ban on the use of alcoholic beverages and drugs for 500 persons).

A special algorithm has also been developed to identify victims of violence who are unable to contact the police in a timely manner.

Potential victims and assistants in grocery stores, pharmacies are warned about the phrase, the use of which (including by telephone) signals the fact of domestic violence and the need to immediately inform the police.

In addition, measures are being taken to ensure conditions for the temporary isolation of victims of family aggression.

In all regions of the country, there are opportunities of 40 crisis centers (for 600 places), which were created under local executive authorities and non-governmental organizations, in which victims of domestic violence receive psychological, social, legal and other necessary assistance (over 230 people have been sent to the centers).

For the same purposes, for victims of violence during quarantine local executive authorities in all regions created a reserve from the hotel fund (more than 200 places).

Some assistance in the prevention of domestic violence is provided by public associations.

Since April 10 of this year territorial police authorities take active part (until the end of quarantine) in conducting through the social networks the flash mob “Quarantine without violence” (organized by the Rodnik Public Foundation).

As part of this event, the population is informed about the contacts of crisis centers to protect women from violence and departments of the interior bodies, where victims of domestic violence can receive psychological, social, legal and other assistance.

At the same time, as the Ministry of Interior notes, in general, over the four months of 2020, the country has recorded an increase in crimes committed in the field of family relations by 3.5% (from 286 to 296).

On the background of practical measures taken, a positive factor is the efforts of the Government and Parliament to improve legislation in the field of combating domestic violence.

So, members of Parliament initiated a new draft Law «On combating domestic violence», which envisages strengthening interagency cooperation and social programs to provide assistance to victims of domestic violence and correctional programs for home abusers. As the MPs note, the current law requires a review of a number of approaches and the mechanism for combating domestic violence. In addition, the MPs developed a package of amendments to other laws on this issue. In developing the package of legislative proposals, the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, received by Kazakhstan following the national fifth periodic report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women, were taken into account.

Representatives of non-governmental organizations, state bodies, scientific institutions, independent experts and the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan participate in the discussion of draft laws developed in Parliament.