At the plenary session of the Georgian Parliament, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs- Nino Tsatsiashvili discussed the draft law on “Violence against Women, Prevention of Domestic Violence, Protection and Assistance to the Victims of Violence” initiated by the Ministry and called on the society to tackle the issue with joint efforts.
"Every member of society should be well aware of the responsibility we have for preventing violence against women and domestic violence" – stated Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Nino Tsatsiashvili.
The legislative amendment provides for the enforcement of restraining orders issued to the abuser through the introduction of electronic surveillance to prevent the recurrence of violence against women and domestic violence andvictims’ protection.
The purpose of the amendments is to increase the effectiveness of the fight against domestic violence and domestic crime and to create an even more effective mechanism for surveillance of abusers.
"The Ministry of Internal Affairs will continue to implement strict policies in the field of violence against women and domestic violence, and in case ifthere is a real threat of violence against women and domestic violence, we will be able to conduct electronic surveillance of the abuser,"- the Deputy Minister stated while speaking to the media.
One way of effectively enforcing the prohibition of approaching a victim is to conduct electronic surveillance, which ensures that law enforcement agencies are kept informed when approaching the victim.
According to the draft law, electronic surveillance may be imposed upon the issuance of a restraining order, as well as at any time during the period of the restraining order and may be extended for a period of not more than one month.
In the process of imposing the electronic surveillance the perpetrator’s criminal record history will be considered, as well as other factors, such as the use of cold or firearms in the course of violence and etc.
A protocol on imposing the electronic surveillance will be concluded and submitted to the court for approval within 24 hours.
Failure to comply with the obligations of electronic surveillance or deliberate evasion of electronic surveillance will be considered as breach of the requirements of the restraining order and may result in criminal responsibility.
Also, the draft law broadens the definition of a family member and adds to the list of family members a previously unregistered marriage, support, guardianship and caregiver, which also addresses other issues related to combating domestic violence.
A protective order, instead of up to 6 months, is issued for up to 9 months. However, the court determines the specific date of its validity.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has introduced a Risk Assessment Tool on September 1, 2018. Given its effectiveness, the obligation to use a risk assessment questionnaire when establishing a restrictive order and electronic supervision has been legislated.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs submitted a draft law on the introduction of an electronic surveillance mechanism to abusers to the Georgian government in September 2019. Combating domestic violence is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In order to provide an effective tool for the fight against this crime, it is important to have effective surveillance mechanisms in place for abusers, provided by this legislative initiative.
The project is implemented with the active participation and support of the European Union and UN WOMEN organization. It is noteworthy that UN WOMEN purchased and handed overd 100 electronic bracelets and related infrastructure to the Ministry
