The Politics of Domestic Violence in Central Europe: International and Domestic Contestations

Abstract

In post-communist Central Europe, the concept of domestic violence has become a hotly debated political issue that serves as a litmus test for global and European integration. Since the political and economic regime change in the early 1990s, international organizations and national NGOs have successfully introduced the term “domestic violence” to the region. However, the combined efforts of local and international human rights instruments and feminist forces have been only partially effective at lobbying governments to pass legislation that criminalizes violence against women and establishes services to help victims. How, why, and when Central European governments responded to pressures to eliminate domestic violence varies widely both conceptually and chronologically. Some countries, like Slovenia, responded quickly by enacting legislation and attempting to implement effective laws. Others, such as the Czech Republic, produced comprehensive legislation but its implementation is slow. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Hungary were more resistant to change, ignoring or outright rejecting efforts to pass domestic violence legislation well into the early 2010s. While the vast majority of laws and related policies are gender-neutral and family-centric, some conceptualizations include gender inequality and a few attempt to coordinate between various agencies such as NGOs, the police, and welfare agencies. Signing the 2011 Istanbul Convention, the first binding international legal instrument among the Council of Europe member states, has become a focal point of ideological conflict because many Central European governmental attitudes have changed from one of openness and interest to one of hostility toward gender-sensitive interpretations of domestic violence.