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The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)¹ has recently informed the Government of Chisinau about the case of R.L. v. R. Moldova (sent in 2011, registered on November 14, 2012). The applicant, R.L. a victim of domestic violence alleges complicity of the State in her ill-treatment and gender discrimination in the framework of her protection by law.

It is the first domestic violence case communicated by the CEDAW Committee to the Government of the Republic of Moldova.

Pursuant to R.L. statements, she was systematically beaten by her husband. He was aggressive both towards the applicant and minor children. Though their numerous quarrels resulted into the calling-up of police, her husband became even more aggressive upon coming back from the police department.

R.L. decided to divorce, since violence became intolerable. The domicile of minor children was established at the place of applicant’s residence, however, the former spouses were constrained to leave together in the same apartment. The aggressive behavior of her husband didn’t cease upon their divorce, moreover, he continued offending her and applying physical force with respect to her. Complaints filed to the police didn’t result in any answers in favor of the victim, on the contrary, the police was executing administrative protocols by imposing fines on the applicant. Further, the police authorities, being offended with R.L. because of her frequent complaints, registered her in the police records as a domestically scandalous person to be subject to certain preventive work. All administrative materials, including answers sent by the police department, neglected the real situation, i.e. acts of domestic violence to which R.L. had been exposed.

In the long run, the applicant was constrained to leave her own house. Numerous complaints filed to the police and Prosecutor’s Office didn’t provide R.L. with the necessary protection, while the issued judicial protection order, obliging the aggressor to leave their joint house, was not executed.

The Government of the Republic of Moldova is invited to develop its stance on the case  within six months as of the day of communication thereof.

For more details, please contact: Lilia Potîng, lawyer of the Association Promo-LEX, [email protected], Tel: (22) 45-00-24.

¹The CEDAW Committee operates based on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, an international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly. This treaty was ratified by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova by virtue of Resolution no. 87-XII as of April 28, 1994.