The article presents the analysis of legal and forensic aspects of providing assistance to victims of domestic violence in Ukraine. The purpose of the work was to analyze and generalize the legal and forensic aspects of providing legal assistance to victims of domestic violence and give advice on how to improve them. Results and discussion. The analysis demonstrated that legislative documents in Ukraine were developed to prevent and combat domestic violence, protect and respect the human rights. The basic standards of the regulatory framework of Ukraine are consistent with the Istanbul Convention. A positive moment in the modern legislation of Ukraine is the establishment of restrictive measures for people who have committed domestic violence in the form of a ban on staying in a place of joint residence with a person who has suffered from domestic violence; prohibitions of approaching a place or person who has suffered from domestic violence, etc. Attention is drawn to the fact that the first two cases of domestic violence give an offender the right for administrative responsibility, the criminal liability comes for the third case of domestic violence. In practice, law enforcement agencies interact with social services, medical institutions, forensic experts and other services to provide timely full-fledged assistance to victims in cases of domestic violence; develop the system of measures to prevent, promote and combat domestic violence. The forms of domestic violence (psychological, physical, sexual) are characterized. Some recommendations on conducting a forensic medical examination in cases of domestic violence are proposed. In addition to the mandatory points, we displayed aspects of an ethical approach in the "Rules for the Examination of Victims, Accused and Other Persons" in order to reduce psychological trauma during examination. In order to prevent psychological traumatization of the victim, it is recommended to use modern methods of fixation (photographing, video recording) during data collection and further examination of the victim in order to be able to use the obtained data by the parties to criminal proceedings / Сourt. Conclusion. Ukraine developed the legislative basis to prevent and combat domestic violence, protect and respect the human rights. The issues of beating, torment and torture are within the competence of the bodies of pre-trial investigation/court and are not the competence of forensic medical examination. The issue of prevention and counteraction to domestic violence needs special attention and further resolution due to the increase in domestic violence cases, especially in lockdown situation caused by COVID-19.
Keywords: domestic violence, legal assistance, forensic examination, Istanbul Convention, COVID-19
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