What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is one of the most widespread forms of gender-based violence, which is not limited by age, gender, social status, ethnicity or territory. Despite the variety of forms and manifestations of domestic violence, it cannot be considered a "private" family matter. It is an offense that has no justification, and for which the law provides responsibility.

Domestic violence refers to actions (or inactions) of physical, sexual, psychological, or economic violence committed within a family or household, or between relatives, or between current or former spouses, or between other individuals who have lived together as a family, even if they are not in a family relationship or marriage. This includes situations regardless of whether the person who committed the domestic violence lives in the same place as the survivor, as well as threats to commit such acts (paragraph 3, part 1, Article 1 of the Law of Ukraine "On Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence").