Over the first three months of 2017, an increase in murders and cases of intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm has been observed in the Lepel district.
Over the first three months of 2017, an increase in murders and cases of intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm has been observed in the Lepel district.
Thus, during the specified period, 1 murder and 2 cases of intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm have already been committed.
According to preliminary information, all crimes were committed after drinking alcohol together.
In many cases, the crimes could have been avoided if the victims had sought timely assistance from law enforcement agencies or called the hotline for victims of domestic violence (tel. 8-601-100-8-801).
The current legislation of the Republic of Belarus provides for a range of measures that can be taken to prevent crime. In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Fundamentals of Crime Prevention Activities", crisis rooms have been established in Lepel, at the State Institution "Territorial Centre for Social Services for the Population of Lepel District", where victims of violence can turn for help and stay for a certain period.
The person perpetrating violence may be subject to such a measure as a Protective Order (Article 31 of the Law).
Protective order - the imposition of restrictions on certain actions for a citizen who has committed domestic violence.
A protective order is applied after the adoption of a decision on imposing an administrative penalty for an offense provided for by Articles 9.1, 9.3, 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences, committed against a family member, and is issued to the citizen in writing by the head of the Internal Affairs Department or their deputy within 3 days from the date of receipt of the decision on imposing an administrative penalty for an offense provided for by Articles 9.1, 9.3, 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences, committed against a family member.
By means of a protective order, the citizen against whom it is issued is prohibited from:
- to make attempts to ascertain the place of stay of a citizen (citizens) who has suffered from domestic violence, if this citizen (citizens) is (are) in a place unknown to the citizen who committed domestic violence;
- to visit the places of stay of a citizen (citizens) who has suffered from domestic violence, if this citizen (citizens) is (are) temporarily outside the joint place of residence or place of stay with the citizen against whom a protective order has been issued;
- to communicate with the citizen (citizens) who has suffered from domestic violence, including by phone, using the global computer network Internet.
A protective order, with the written consent of an adult citizen (citizens) who has suffered from domestic violence, obliges the citizen who committed domestic violence to temporarily leave the shared dwelling with the citizen (citizens) who has suffered from domestic violence, and prohibits disposal of common joint property.
The prohibitions and obligation provided for by the protective order are established by the head of the internal affairs body or his deputy for a period of 3 to 30 days from the date of announcement of the protective order to the citizen against whom it is issued. The application of this measure does not entail financial losses for the family budget.
A significant role in crime prevention is played by victims voluntarily refraining from filing complaints for administrative prosecution. Some, guided by the old proverb "he who beats, loves," endure humiliation, insults, threats, and beatings for extended periods until a critical point is reached. The outcome, as practice shows, is either the abuser commits a serious crime, or the victim, out of desperation, kills the abuser. To prevent crime, if after the first incident the victim is unsure about reporting to the internal affairs bodies, they should at least seek medical attention at a healthcare facility or a feldsher-paramedic post to document evidence of beatings. This very step can serve as a deterrent for the offender, as repeated infliction of bodily harm within a year can be classified as a criminal offense (Article 154 (torture) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus).
As a rule, family quarrels are accompanied by loud statements, shouting, banging, and clattering, and neighbours inadvertently become witnesses to the events. It is precisely thanks to neighbours and their reports that the internal affairs bodies have managed to prevent more than one serious crime and save more than one human life.
The internal affairs bodies are seriously concerned about unequal marriages involving dependency, cohabitation of unemployed adult sons with pensioner parents, as well as our citizens working in the Russian Federation, whose visits are accompanied by multi-day drinking sprees. The work of district police inspectors will primarily focus on studying the state of relationships in such families, and there is great hope that you, dear readers, will not remain indifferent but will participate in preventing serious crimes against life and health of citizens, and in preserving the lives of your fellow countrymen.
You can report known facts of violence or unlawful behaviour by calling 4 70 83 or 102.
Deputy Head of the Public Order and Prevention Department
Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs
V.V. Borodeiko