Frontline Response to High Impact Domestic Violence in Hungary
The first part of the chapter describes the legalisation of domestic violence. The Criminal Code criminalises domestic violence, including several areas of domestic violence such as emotional, physical, economic, and sexual violence. Two main limitations are that the Criminal Code does not sanction verbal abuse, and the police are obliged to file a criminal complaint ex officio only if domestic violence involves serious physical injuries. In all other cases, it is upon the request of the victim to file a criminal complaint against the offender. The second part of the chapter describes the roles of the different front-line agencies in responding to domestic violence; the police, the Child Protection Perceiving and Reporting System, the Guardianship office, the family support and child welfare services and the different NGO's that operate crisis management and different helplines. The next part of the chapter introduces the work of the National Crisis Telephone Helpline as a good practice of cooperation between stakeholders that helps victims of domestic violence and human trafficking through a free of charge telephone line. The last part shows the main challenges and shortcomings characterising the handling of domestic violence in Hungary.