Guidebook on Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence

Author(s)/editor(s)

Prepared by: Ramadan Gashi, Judicial Trainer at Kosovo Judicial Institute; Lumnije Krasniqi, Program Coordinator at Kosovo Judicial Institute Mary; Aguirre-Shahin, OSCE Special Adviser to Kosovo Judicial Institute; Translated by: Linda Fejzullahu, Senior

The result of work and training by the Kosovo Judicial Institute and Kosovo judges with support from UN Women, this guidebook provides a brief, clear overview of international and national legislation and mechanisms designed to protect women from domestic violence.

The manual offers clear instructions to members of Kosovo’s judiciary on the application of the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence. It also provides information for victims of domestic violence, including the steps a victim can take following any form of violence.

Aimed primarily at judges and prosecutors so they can apply the most advanced women’s rights and protection from domestic violence laws, the guidebook contains accurate and meaningful information that the police, NGOs and victims of violence will find useful.

The guidebook uses analytic tests that provide readers with basic knowledge such as:

Information on international and local standards related to domestic violence;
Causes of domestic violence;
Identifying forms of domestic violence;
State organs – police, courts and other state mechanisms – that are obliged to help victims of domestic violence;
Actions to be undertaken by the courts, prosecutors and police when a domestic violence case is reported.