The National Program for the Treatment of Perpetrators of Violence against Women should become an integrated part of the punishments for the perpetrators of these crimes. This was said at the discussion table “Breaking the cycle of violence: Integrating programs for the treatment of perpetrators of domestic violence as part of the sentence”, which was organized by the Office of the Council of Europe within the project “Approximation of laws and policies with the Istanbul Convention”.
The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu expressed optimism that in the future women in Kosovo will be treated in a dignified manner, while stressing that the responsible institutions should respond professionally to cases of domestic violence.
Haxhiu emphasized that until now, in no case of domestic violence, the maximum sentence stipulated in the Criminal Code, which is 3 years, has been imposed.
The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said that the National Program for the Treatment of Perpetrators of Violence against Women aims to transform the mindset and abusive behavior of the perpetrators, as well as to make the perpetrators aware of the serious consequences of their actions.
She said that 15 professionals were trained for the provision of this program, while emphasizing that the pilot project was implemented in the Correctional Center in Dubrava and 20 people who committed the crime of domestic violence were part of the training.
Meanwhile, the deputy head of the Office of the Council of Europe in Prishtina, Tankut Soykan, expressed his satisfaction with the work that the Ministry of Justice has done for the drafting of the National Program for the Treatment of Perpetrators of Violence against Women.
Soykan stated that the perpetrators of violence in Kosovo come out of prison with the same mentality, therefore he considers it necessary that such programs be an integrated part as part of the sentencing.
In November 2023, the Ministry of Justice launched the “National Program for the Treatment of Perpetrators of Violence against Women”, which was piloted in the Correctional Center in Dubrava for 6 months. /B.Ibishi/
