Domestic violence brings the Zurich police corps, as before, a lot of work: In the section, you need to move out per day, 13 Times, to end violent conflicts within families. The perpetrators are still mostly male, the victims are mostly female.
With every fourth application, the offender is assigned a so-called violence protection measure. He is so referenced for two weeks from the apartment and gets a restraining order to the victim. In more severe cases, the perpetrators are arrested.
The justice Directorate wanted to know how cases of domestic violence in the longer term, and, therefore, a study is in order. The results were presented on Tuesday, showed that many victims want no punishment of the perpetrator.
65% without guilt
set Of the investigated 427 cases in a given period, 65 percent were without guilt. Most of them, 50 of the 65 percent because the woman wanted it himself. The remaining 15 percent of the settings have been exercised according to the study, pressure from the environment or there is no information in the files.
Only a third of all cases of domestic violence in the Canton of Zurich, leads to a criminal command or – in more severe cases – to an indictment in a district court.
“For many victims, the criminal case is apparently not a suitable means for the solution to your problem,” said Rachel Ott, Co-Director of the intervention centre for domestic violence and a PhD candidate at the criminological Institute of the University of Zurich.
Hope for better times
The reasons why the women allow the procedure as often setting, are varied: Many are hoping simply to better times, not arrival. Every fourth perpetrator has to do again within a year because of domestic violence with the police. 61 percent of them even within just three months.
Other reasons for the withdrawal of the load during the criminal proceedings, or the fear that a monetary penalty could reduce the household budget. Often women want to prevent, that the children lose their father.
victims will not be persuaded
prosecutors are then tied to the hands. “We don’t persuade the victim to continue with the procedure,” said attorney Corinne purchase, which often has to do with domestic violence. You try to find out whether the victim had been put under pressure. Otherwise, you have to respect the decision.
Instead of a punishment by penalty order or court judgment want most of the victims that the offender comes to his problems, so he goes to a counseling or Alcohol treatment.
“Condemn and punish the right and effect may not always be the most valuable opportunity,” said Director of Justice Jacqueline Fehr (SP) at the presentation of the study results. Of course, the law-enforcement was important. However, one must also look at the victims, such as the spiral of violence could be ended.
state prosecutors should rethink
the state attorney purchase mean the results of the study, that many of your colleagues needs to change. “In the minds of many it still goes to the pure punishment,” she said. It is important to organize the therapies, and monitor. “We need our role critically.”
An effective way the offender away of their action, would, according to the study, the learning programme “partnership without violence” of the Zurich prison system.
It was developed for offenders who are in their probationary period and to prevent relapse. In addition to group sessions, this program also includes “homework”. Is arranged, it is of the Prosecutor’s offices currently, but are still extremely rare. This is set to change now. (Dec/sda)
Created: 23.01.2019, 09:00 PM
