Policy and practice dealing with domestic violence cases in Lithuania

ENBecause of the activity of international institutions more and more countries including Lithuania may recognize that combating domestic violence is a state responsibility. Rapid and effective measures to isolate perpetrator from the victim in the case of violence or threat of violence are necessary. It could be recognized that Lithuanian criminal laws and relatively recently adopted Law on Protection against Domestic Violence encourages to resist to domestic violence. However, domestic violence problem could not be solved only by criminal law. A complex of integrated and coordinated legislative, educational, social and psychological measures could create the right atmosphere for conflict resolution. This was also confirmed by representatives of law enforcement institutions. It is important that even the victims‘ ability to take advantage of the legislative measures heavily depends on other non legislative factors such as psychological or social assistance and public education about legal regulation of domestic violence.