Draft bill #10420 of January 22, 2024
Cosponsors: 38 MPs from the factions Holos, Servant of the People, European Solidarity, and Batkivshchyna, groups For the Future and Trust with Inna Sovsun as the first signatory
Status: adopted in the first reading
Who is affected: victims of sexual or domestic violence
Summary: in cases of criminal offenses against sexual freedom and sexual inviolability, forced marriage, abortion, or sterilization:
- a reconciliation agreement can only be initiated by the victim, their representative, or legal representative
- criminal proceedings for such crimes can be initiated not only by the victim but by any person
- the victim must immediately undergo a forensic medical examination.
What is right: victims of domestic or sexual violence often cannot or do not want to press charges themselves due to fear, shame, or dependence on the abuser. Allowing third parties to report such cases can ensure protection for victims of violence who might otherwise be left without help.
The proposed changes will also help avoid re-traumatization by ensuring an immediate forensic medical examination of the victim.
Background information: on June 21, 2022, Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law ratifying the Istanbul Convention, aimed at protecting women from violence, preventing, prosecuting, and eliminating violence against women and domestic violence, including violence committed against men and children (boys and girls). So far, this is the most comprehensive international agreement concerning these issues used by many countries in Europe and beyond.