Perpetrators of domestic violence could receive therapy

Perpetrators of domestic violence in the Czech Republic could gain the chance to undergo therapy or be given special aid in the future, the minister in charge of human rights and ethnic minorities, Džamila Stehlíková, stated on Friday. Guidelines for working with individuals with tendencies towards violence will be prepared by the committee for domestic violence prevention, part of the government Council for Equal Opportunities. Similar programmes already exist in the US, Canada, Scandinavia as well as neighbouring Austria. Since 2007, legislation has ensured police in the Czech Republic can evict individuals from their homes for ten days, a measure aimed to protect victims and break the cycle of abuse. Last year almost 900 male and less 10 female perpetrators were forced to temporarily leave their homes. Almost 60 were repeat cases. Minister Stehlikova has pointed out that cases of repeated violence show there is a need to focus more on the perpetrators in dealing with the problem.

Author: Jan Velinger