Preventing Domestic Violence in Poland.: Problems of Application and Evaluation of Methods

Abstract

Domestic violence is a widespread phenomenon affecting both women and men. It takes a variety of forms ranging from physical, psychological and economic violence to neglect. The wide spectrum of events that may indicate violence, often quite non-specific, makes it sometimes difficult to identify it and take appropriate action against it. People experiencing violence develop some adaptive mechanisms that make it difficult to get out of such a situation. Violence is an extremely frequent phenomenon, as evidenced by, for example, police statistics. In Poland, there are legal mechanisms to prevent such events and to support the victim. Despite developed methods of preventing violence, problems arise with their correct application - which may result from errors or the perspective of the people who are to implement them or from the perpetrators and victims themselves. The issue of correct evaluation of actions taken is also important, without which the real picture of violence in Polish families and the effectiveness of implemented assistance is invisible.