site.btaMinistry of Interior Registers Permanent Tendency of Increasing Cases of Domestic Violence

The Ministry of Interior is observing a permanent tendency of increasing cases of domestic violence, as well as protection orders issued and proceedings initiated for crimes in the context of domestic violence. This information was presented on Monday by Chief Inspector Zornitsa Shumanova, head of the domestic violence unit at the National Police General Directorate.

Shumanova noted that on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in implementation of a memorandum concluded between the Ministry of Interior and UNICEF, an agreement was reached to conduct a large-scale national preventive campaign against domestic violence. The campaign will be held within 16 days, between November 25 and December 10, Shumanova said. The goal is to draw public attention to the fact that violence affects everyone, women, men and children, and it should not be tolerated in any form. There will be a series of events dedicated to the topic.

In the period between January 1 and October 30, 2024, 4,320 protection orders were issued in the regional police departments in the country, compared to 3,631 for the same period in 2023, Shumanova pointed out. The Sofia Directorate of the Interior Ministry observed a 25% increase in protection orders, in Plovdiv there has been an increase of 26%, Varna by 20% and Burgas by 16 %. There is a large increase in the number of orders in Dobrich and Shumen, by over 50%, said the Chief Inspector and added that in the territory of Kardzhali the number of protection orders issued has decreased by 51%.

There is a 15% increase in women who have become victims of domestic violence, as well as 15% more male victims. For children, this percentage is 13%, explained Shumanova. A year ago, the Interior Minister issued methodological instructions for the work of Interior  Ministry employees under the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act. 

Since the beginning of the year, 2,204 crimes involving domestic violence have been registered, the growth compared to the same period last year is 54%, said Shumanova. She added that the number of cases of minor or moderate bodily harm within the framework of domestic violence increased by 130% in 2024 compared to the previous year. "This reminds us that we have a lot of work to do," Chief Inspector Shumanova noted.

The campaign also focuses on promoting important telephone numbers – the single European emergency number 112, the National Hotline for Victims of Violence (0800 18 676), the National Hotline for Children (116 111), as well as the National Legal Aid Bureau (0700 18 250).

Global statistics show that two-thirds of all children have become victims of domestic violence, and more than a quarter of women will experience physical or sexual violence in their life, said the coordinator of the  Violence Against Children programmes at UNICEF Bulgaria, Lubomir Krilchev.

Krilchev also presented information about the ZaKrila zone, where victims of domestic violence can be provided with various types of services and support. The model provides a protected space with various professionals, the coordinator explained. The ZaKrila zone works together with police officers, social workers from child protection departments, judges and prosecutors so that children can be protected and violence against them can stop.