The study “Ensuring access of victims of sexual violence to adequate legal and social protection in the Republic of Moldova” did reveal several factors from our society which hold this offence in the area of taboo: stereotypes blaming usually the victim, and not the aggressor, the distrust of the victims of sexual violence in the persons around them, but also in the community, the dependence on the aggressor or fear induced by him, the reduced level of legal knowledge of the VSV, lack of information where he should go to in such situations, etc. The biggest majority of the population doesn’t perceive the sexual abuse as offence, while the marital rape isn’t interpreted as a form of rape, but as an obligation coming from family relationships. All these make the number of declared sexual offences to be very small.
The research also reveals a range of challenges of the legal system from the Republic of Moldova. Very often the intervention of the sector police officer in such cases resumes to the recommendation for the VSV to forgive the aggressor in order not to start a criminal investigation, victims’ declaration aren’t taken into consideration, including by relatives. Another lack is that the legal system is perceived as ensuring the rights and freedom of the suspect, the law doesn’t provide a special status to VSV in relation with the victims of other offences, what makes them distrust the legal bodies and the society. The direct confrontation of VSV with the aggressor leads many times to the manipulation of the victim or her threatening, what results in the withdrawal of the complaint, while sometimes even with the sentencing of the victim for false declarations. On the other hand, VSV report cases of sexual offences when encouraged by someone to punish the aggressor. Usually, children and victims of marital rape tolerate the phenomenon for many years in a row and seek help when they can’t stand it, all these making complicated the proving of the offence. Very few VSV enjoy psychological care after submitting a complaint with the police and after the initiation of a criminal matter against the aggressor. Finally, the issue of sexual violence isn’t yet a priority, neither for CPA, nor for LPA. The authorities should assume a greater responsibility for the protection of the rights of these persons to adequate protection and assistance, while the civil society, together with the community of donors, could contribute significantly to the development of supporting services for them.
The study “Ensuring access of victims of sexual violence to adequate legal and social protection in the Republic of Moldova”
The summary of the study “Ensuring access of victims of sexual violence to adequate legal and social protection in the Republic of Moldova”
