Domestic violence occurs when the member of the family violates constitutional rights and freedoms of the other family member by means of physical, psychological, economic, sexual abuse or duress.
Forms of Domestic Violence:
Physical violence: battering, torture, damage to health, illegal deprivation of freedom or any other act which inflicts physical pain or suffering; preventing a family member from healthcare which may cause damage to health or death of the latter;
Psychological violence: abuse, blackmail, intimidation or any other action which is deemed as degrading and inhuman treatment;
Economic violence: any act that restricts one’s right to food, accommodation and other conditions for normal development, as well as property and labor rights including shared property and management of one’s shared of property.
Sexual violence: coercive sexual intercourse, under duress or misusing vulnerability of victims; sexual intercourse or any other act of sexual nature, or immoral act against minors.
Harassment: physical or psychological coercion over an individual so that s/he undertakes an action or refrains from it while a decision whether or not to undertake the specific action should be his/her discretion, or experience effects of non-consensual actions
Neglect: failure to meet the child’s basic physical and psychological needs by the parent and/or legal guardian, restriction of the child’s right to basic education, failure to provide basic protection from threats, and failure to undertake necessary actions for registration of birth or ensuring access to medical and other services while the parent and/or the legal guardian has relevant information, opportunity and access to such services.
The following members of the family can be a perpetrator of domestic violence: mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, a spouse, son/daughter (stepson/stepdaughter), adopted son/daughter, adoptive parent, a spouse of an adoptive parent, foster son/daughter, foster family (foster mother/father), grandson/granddaughter, sister, brother, parents in-laws, son in-law, daughter in-law, ex-spouse, common-law spouses and their family members, a guardian (supporter).
Victim is a member of the family who has sustained physical, psychological, sexual, economic violence or coercion and with a status granted by the respective agency under the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, court authority and/or a group tasked to determine whether or not an individual is eligible to a status of the victim (victim identification group).
An alleged victim of domestic violence is the one who perceives himself or herself a victim and applies to respective bodies/the group for determining the status of the victim of domestic violence (victim identification group) in order to have the status determined.
A perpetrator is a member of the family who abuses another member of the family physically, psychologically, economically, sexually or exercises coercion against the latter.
Medical staff of a healthcare facility and those working at educational institutions where minors are involved, staff of Social Service Agency (a legal body of public law), authorized personnel at guardianship and curatorship bodies and other subjects as stipulated by the Georgian legislation are responsible for reporting cases of domestic violence.
The following persons and bodies are authorized to address the court regarding domestic cases involving domestic violence: victim (alleged victim), his or her family member, guardianship and curatorship bodies when minors are involved, also individuals providing medical, legal and/or psychological help to the victim upon the consent of the latter.
A state shelter providing psycho-social rehabilitation services as well as legal and medical assistance is available to victims of domestic violence.
The Crisis Center is an institution where victims and alleged victims of domestic violence can be placed on a temporary basis and have access to psycho-social rehabilitation, basic and emergency medical care and legal counseling
In addition, another mechanism allows victim to remain at the place of residence owned by the perpetrator while the letter is diverged from such residence.
If you are the victim of domestic violence or are able to provide information pertaining to a specific case of domestic violence, you are kindly requested to place a call on a hotline for victims of domestic violence at the State Fund for the Protection and Assistance of Victims of Human Trafficking within 24 hours:
+995 32 116 006 or 112
