Last year the number of violations of court decisions on protection against violence in Latvia went up by half, according to information from Latvian State Police.
The average age of perpetrators is 43 years, and in most cases this person is a cohabitant. 263 of them were husbands and 130 – sons. The combined portrait of a protected person indicates it is usually a person 47 years of age. 838 of them are women and 56 are men.
Last year, Latvian State Police made 894 decisions on separation, which is 247 more than a year prior. Police also received 1 342 court decisions regarding provision of temporary protection against violence, which is 218 decisions more than a year prior. Last year, there were also 894 violations of decisions on temporary protection against violence, which is 327 violations more when compared to 2022.
In 2023, there were 4 435 people on record under court-mandated temporary protection against violence,
which is 627 more when compared to the year prior.
Commenting on this data, Chief of State Police Armands Ruks told journalists on Friday, the 23rd of February, that society and various institutions report domestic violence more and more often.
To improve this situation, police have plans to introduce an electronic monitoring system for perpetrators. This system will function based on three principles: a special device for the victim and a bracelet for the perpetrator, as well as signals to the police if the perpetrator comes close to the victim.
This preventive measure does require amendments to legislation, as well as procurement procedures. At the same time, it is clear this system will not be cheap. Nevertheless, police will look for different funding sources.
One solution considered by the police is the so-called panic button the signal from which would inform the police of the victim’s location and ensure faster response time without the need to contact the victim separately.
Last year, the biggest case regarding violence involved one Gunārs Rusiņš, who violently killed his ex-wife on the 16th of April in Jekabpils.
Before then he frequently threatened and harassed the woman for months. Police were informed of his behaviour, but no protection was provided in the end. Rusiņš already had 19 criminal procedures on him. 18 of them were for violation of court-mandated restraining orders for domestic violence.
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