The prevention and reduction of violence is one of the main objectives of our state. One fifth of the people living in Estonia have encountered domestic violence during their life. Although the police receives about 30 reports of violence a day, a large number of incidents remain hidden. Violence between family members, intimate partners or relatives both towards adults and children is no longer merely their personal concern but a problem that seriously damages society as a whole. In addition to physical injuries, domestic violence causes severe consequences in terms of mental and social health.
Studies have shown that attitudes that support violence are rather common among people. For instance, every tenth person considers the physical disciplining of a partner permissible, 22% of adults consider domestic violence to be an internal matter of the family, and 54% consider the victim partly guilty of the violence.
Today’s violence prevention activities are fragmented, and target group coverage is limited. In order to achieve a permanent reduction violence in close relationships and in families, we must primarily focus on young people.
Other countries offer programmes that include all school students and their effect in the prevention of partnership violence has been proven. Estonia also needs to pay more attention to the systematic and large-scale prevention of violence among young people, as the prevention of violence is always more efficient and less costly than dealing with the consequences.
Domestic violence prevention steering group
On 27 September 2018, the Government of the Republic approved a memorandum on the protection of victims of domestic violence, on the basis of which the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Social Affairs together with their areas of governance had to change the organisation of work related to incidents of domestic violence by 2021. According to the decisions approved under the memorandum, cross-sectoral cooperation is of utmost importance, as well as operative communication in ensuring the implementation of activities and finding solutions to problems, which is why a steering group for the protection of victims of domestic violence was formed.
The primary tasks of the steering group led by the Ministry of the Interior include supporting and monitoring the fulfilment of the tasks arising from the memorandum. The steering group also coordinates the activities of ministries and state institutions in reducing domestic violence with the aim of creating a combined effect.
The steering group includes the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Police and Border Guard Board, the Social Insurance Board, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Harju County Court, the Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities and the Estonian Association of Family Physicians.
Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan for 2019–2023
The memorandum presents the action plan prepared by the steering group for the protection of victims of domestic violence on the reduction and prevention of domestic violence in Estonia for 2019–2023. The action plan is based on the results and conclusions of the project for protecting the victims of domestic violence carried out in Pärnu, which were approved by a memorandum of the Government of the Republic in 2018.
The Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan has been prepared on a cross-sectoral basis and focuses on five key goals:
- Victims are protected and supported
- People who have used violence must answer for their actions
- Specialists are informed and professional
- Tools support the specialists
- The area is regularly monitored
Last updated: 28.03.2023