site.btaSurvey Finds 74% of Domestic Violence Victims Feel Ignored by State Institutions

A survey titled "Hear My Voice" found that 74% of domestic violence victims believe state institutions turn a blind eye to abuse, while 70% disagree that victims are adequately protected. The findings were presented at a conference in Sofia on Thursday, organized by The WakeUp Foundation.

Conducted in April and May, the survey involved 441 respondents from a Facebook group, You Are Not Alone: Together Against Violence, administered by The WakeUp Foundation - an online community for support to victims of domestic violence. The study was commissioned by the foundation and carried out by sociologists Gergana Nenova and Veronika Dimitrova, both lecturers at the Department of Sociology of the St Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia.

Levena Lazarova, Managing Director of The WakeUp Foundation, said 85% of respondents reported that violence continues even after separation from the abuser. She emphasized that the Protection against Domestic Violence Act is often exploited by perpetrators as a tool to continue harassment and file counterclaims.

Deputy Labour and Social Policy Minister Rumyana Petkova underlined the need for coordinated actions among all institutions, social partners and NGOs to effectively address domestic violence cases. In 2024, 1,064 cases of domestic violence were registered, with 666 victims referred to social services.

Sociologist Gergana Nenova said victims who sought help from institutions tended to have a more negative perception of them compared to those who did not. The police scored the lowest approval rating, with 61% describing their performance as "poor." Respondents pointed to issues such as failure to issue official reports, corruption, lack of response to violated protection orders, downplaying the problem, and other shortcomings.

Blagorodna Makeva from the Academy of the Ministry of Interior said the fact that 59% of respondents reported contacting an institution indicates they are aware that help is available. Last year, more than 830 police officers were trained to respond to domestic violence cases. In 2024, nearly 700 operators and coordinators from regional centres of the European emergency number 112 received training on how to handle domestic violence reports, she said.

Gergana Nenova said the Child Protection Department also received very low ratings. The survey found that after women, children are the next worst affected victims of violence. A total of 46% of women reported their children were victims, while 51% said their children witnessed the abuse. Women with children under 18 more frequently seek institutional protection and support for themselves and their children.

Ivayla Kasarova, Deputy Chairperson of the State Agency for Child Protection, said that in the year to June 1, the 24-hour child helpline, 116 111, received 2,380 reports of children's rights violations. Fathers were identified as the main perpetrators, followed by mothers, she said.

More than half of respondents describe the work of the regional courts as slow. It typically takes the court over a month to issue a judgment in a domestic violence case, with 70% of respondents experiencing difficulties proving violence in court. Also, perpetrators may bribe judges or psychologists, or manipulate witnesses to give false testimony. Over half of those with protection orders reported feeling inadequately protected by them, Gergana Nenova said.

Sociologist Veronika Dimitrova said 93% of domestic violence cases involve psychological abuse. Physical violence is the second most common form, at 61%, while 60% of respondents reported forced restrictions on their personal life, freedom and rights, according to the survey.

Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov said the distrust domestic violence victims feel toward institutions raises serious questions about how well those institutions are doing their job. He said that while the ongoing political crisis plays a role in the system's current state, it cannot serve as a permanent excuse. “To restore greater trust in institutions, it is crucial to have clear mechanisms for protection not just on paper,” Zafirov said. He stressed the need for firm and unequivocal consequences for abusers, faster responses from the judiciary, and accessible, free legal, psychological and social support.

The Deputy PM underlined the importance of investing in the training of police officers, judges and social workers to eliminate the trivialization of cases, formalistic approaches, and double standards.

In a video address at the conference, Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev said: "Our main concern is to ensure better coordination between institutions and to establish a clear, mandatory and binding protocol for action when information about domestic violence is received. The adoption of the coordination mechanism is my primary task as Deputy Chair of the National Council for Prevention and Protection against Domestic Violence, so that this document can become binding for all state institutions as soon as possible."

"We have launched an information campaign and, together with public media, we are successfully promoting the idea of support from those closest to the victims. We are also preparing to open regional centres across the country, as eight regions have no centres providing free legal aid," said Georgiev.