Evaluative Study on the impact of measures applied to offenders

Evaluative Study on the impact of measures applied to offenders

What is the project about?

The Evaluative Study on the impact of measures applied to offenders project aims to know the impact of measures applied to perpetrators, seeking to reflect on the national reality according to the solutions adopted by other EU countries and to produce recommendations for the promotion of public policies on the prevention of domestic violence (DV) and gender violence.

It is an Open Call #4 project: Projects to improve protection of victims of violence against women and domestic violence.

Working together for an inclusive Europe

• CES website
• CES Facebook

The Evaluative Study on the impact of measures applied to aggressors was developed to achieve the project's results and goals. The systematization and reflection based on the empirical data obtained through the fieldwork research contributed to deepen the knowledge about the application of coercive measures and penalties in the context of domestic violence, not only by knowing the Portuguese judicial practice, but also by framing it in the context of a broader reflection considering different solutions in other legal systems of the European Union. The contribution of the project partners was essential to ensure access to data sources, reflection on the issues under analysis and discussion of the recommendations. The research project resulted in two relevant products: an article and a scientific report based with the analysis of the empirical data collected, critical reflection based on it, comparative analysis of other legal systems of the European Union, conclusions and recommendations.

The scientific report addresses each of the defined areas of evaluation: the comparative analysis with other legal frameworks of EU countries, especially in the immediate response to violence; the application of detention measures in flagrante delicto and out of flagrante delicto, in cases of domestic violence; the application of coercive measures, means of supervision and their non-compliance; the application of provisional suspension of proceedings; the application of penalties (main and accessory), their grounds and non-compliance; the application of Law 24/2017, of 24 May, on the urgent regulation of parental responsibilities in situations of domestic violence; and data on homicides in the context of domestic violence. The last chapter of the report presents the final conclusions and recommendations of general scope, which address cross-cutting issues to the various themes analysed; and conclusions and recommendations of specific scope, organised around the immediate response to violence, the impact of the measures applied to aggressors and the articulation between the criminal process and the process of regulation of parental responsibilities.

The project's results were discussed in the several and dissemination events held, reaching more than 1700 participants:

• Workshop on the immediate response to violence and emergency restraining orders - 01 June 2021 (online);
• Workshop on measures applied to aggressors in the context of domestic violence or violence against women and their impact - 23 June 2021 (online);
• Workshop on the articulation between the processes of crime for domestic violence and the processes of regulation of parental responsibilities - 29 June 2021 (online);
• Public presentation of the project - 08 July 2021 (online);
• 3 discussion groups on: (i) The immediate response to violence and the administrative or coercive measures applied to aggressors; (ii) The measures or penalties applied to aggressors; (iii) The articulation between the criminal process and the process of regulating parental responsibilities, held in June and July 2022;
• Webinar "Domestic violence and public policies: between law and practice" - 07 July 2022 (online);
• International Colloquium "Justice in Responses to Domestic Violence: Challenges to the Enforcement of Rights" - 21 September 2022 (face-to-face);
• Seminar to exchange experiences and knowledge - 30 September 2022 (online).