Normative and Empirical Analysis of the Treatment of Domestic Violence Perpetrators

ABOUT THE PROJECT

Domestic violence is not merely an individual or family issue, but a broader social phenomenon that requires a comprehensive and coordinated response at the systemic, legislative, and operational levels. Contemporary approaches to addressing domestic violence are based not only on punishing perpetrators, but also on targeted intervention programs developed in response to repeated violent acts and aimed at rehabilitation. Despite the commitments arising from the EU Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, Slovenia still lacks a specialized probation program for perpetrators of domestic violence that would be grounded in scientifically validated methods and adapted to the national legal, institutional, and cultural context. This research systematically analyzes the current state of this field and establishes the basis for the development of such a program.

The final outcome of the project will be a scientifically grounded report that will:

provide a comprehensive legal and empirical analysis of the treatment of domestic violence perpetrators in Slovenia;
identify systemic gaps and propose improvements to interinstitutional cooperation;
offer recommendations for the development of a specialized, evidence-based probation program adapted to the Slovenian context;
contribute to enhanced victim protection and more effective implementation of probation measures.

Project duration: 8 May 2025 – 30 November 2026

WORK PACKAGES

The project is divided into five thematic work packages:

the normative and systemic framework for the treatment of domestic violence perpetrators in Slovenia;
a comparative analysis of approaches to the treatment of domestic violence perpetrators in selected EU countries;
an empirical analysis of the treatment of domestic violence perpetrators (quantitative and qualitative);
synthesis of findings and formulation of recommendations;
presentation of results and dissemination activities.

Content and methodology

Work Package 1 includes a normative analysis of legislative frameworks, as well as a review of institutional practices and interinstitutional cooperation. It documents the typical trajectory of a perpetrator’s case, from the initial intervention to the completion of the sanction, and identifies systemic gaps.

Work Package 2 provides a comparative analysis of legal and institutional arrangements in selected EU countries, identifying examples of good practice and assessing the possibilities for their transfer to the Slovenian context.

Work Package 3 is divided into two sub-packages. The quantitative sub-package analyzes statistical data on domestic violence offenses, imposed sanctions, and recidivism rates over a ten-year period. The qualitative sub-package includes case studies and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders: judges, prosecutors, probation professionals, social workers, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.

Work Package 4 synthesizes the findings of all previous work packages and formulates concrete recommendations for the systemic development of the field and for the establishment of a specialized probation program.

Work Package 5 ensures the dissemination of results through a comprehensive written report, a central presentation for all key stakeholders, and targeted workshops for probation officers.

A particularly innovative methodological aspect of the project is the qualitative approach, which is based on tracing the trajectories of individual offenders through the criminal justice and social welfare systems. For each case, the entire process is reconstructed, from the initial intervention to the completion of the sanction. Through interviews with professionals who were directly involved in the individual cases, the project gains insights that statistical data alone cannot provide. This combination of case tracking and related interviews enables an understanding not only of what happened, but also why specific decisions were made and what their actual effects were.