COMPETENCE OF NATIONAL POLICE IN FAMILY PROTECTION FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Abstract

Domestic violence continues to be a global problem that kills and maims – physically, psychologically, sexually and economically. This problem is present in every country. Domestic violence is enshrined in the Civil Procedure Law of the Republic of Latvia, but there is no specific definition of domestic violence. The vast majority of victims of violence are women and children. Following sections of the Criminal Law of the Republic of Latvia are related to violence in general, not to domestic violence. There are no definitions of domestic/family violence in Latvian legislation. The purpose of this article: to identify problems which are connected with definition of the concept „domestic violence”, identifying procedural problems of its application, exploring the legal aspects of the legal action of national police officers in identifying domestic violence and identifying the most important problems.