Prevention of Offenses in the Sphere of Family and Domestic Relations

PREVENTION OF OFFENSES AND CRIMES IN THE SPHERE OF FAMILY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS

The prevention of antisocial behavior of citizens in the sphere of family and domestic relations is currently one of the main areas of activity for law enforcement agencies, the prosecutor's office, the court, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and the district social services. Annually, about 120 people die from the hands of close ones in the republic, and more than 250 receive grievous bodily harm.

      According to statistics, every second crime is committed while intoxicated, every third murder and every fourth grievous bodily harm occur in the domestic sphere. As a rule, serious domestic crimes are the result of drunken quarrels and brawls. Often, children witness these events, and their own parents inflict incurable trauma on their psyche. A negative role in crime prevention is the voluntary refusal of victims to file a statement for bringing to administrative responsibility. Some, guided by the old proverb "he beats, means he loves," endure humiliation, insults, threats, and beatings for a long time until a critical point is reached. The outcome, as practice shows, is one – either the abuser commits a serious crime, or the victim, out of desperation, kills the abuser. In order to prevent crime, if after the first incident the victim doubts the need to contact the internal affairs bodies, it is necessary to at least contact a medical institution or a paramedic-midwife station to record the traces of beatings. This step can serve as a deterrent for the brawler, as repeated infliction of bodily harm within a year can be qualified as a criminal offense (Article 154 (torture) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus).

The Criminal Legislation of the Republic of Belarus provides for a number of articles of the criminal code, the provisions of which in certain cases apply to citizens committing offenses in the domestic sphere:

Art. 153 "Intentional infliction of minor bodily harm" - punishable by community service, or a fine, or correctional labor for up to one year, or arrest for up to three months.
Art. 154 "Torture" - Part 1 is punishable by arrest for up to three months, or restriction of liberty for up to three years, or imprisonment for the same term; Part 2 is punishable by restriction of liberty for a term of one to three years or imprisonment for a term of one to five years.
Art. 186 "Threat of murder, grievous bodily harm, or destruction of property" - punishable by a fine, or correctional labor for up to one year, or arrest for up to six months.
Art. 139 "Murder" - punishable by imprisonment for a term of six to fifteen years, imprisonment for a term of eight to twenty-five years, or life imprisonment, or the death penalty, and in the presence of circumstances provided for in paragraph 12 of Part Two of this Article, with or without confiscation of property.

The Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus also provides for liability for domestic offenses:

Art. 9.1 "Intentional infliction of bodily harm" - Part 1 entails a fine of 10 to 30 base units or administrative arrest, Part 2 entails a fine of up to 10 base units or administrative arrest.
Art. 17.1 "Petty hooliganism" - entails a fine of 2 to 30 base units or administrative arrest.
In accordance with Art. 31 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Fundamentals of Crime Prevention Activities" No. 122-Z of 04.01.2014, a protective order may be applied to an offender in connection with domestic violence, which imposes the following prohibitions:
to communicate with the victim;
to attempt to ascertain the whereabouts of the victim;
to visit the location of the victim;
to dispose of common joint property, as well as the obligation to temporarily leave (from 3 to 30 days) the residential premises shared with the victim.

Timely seeking help will stop violence and save human lives!