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posted 2 weeks ago
Domestic violence is considered one of the serious social issues facing many societies worldwide, including Kuwait. Although family is considered the fundamental building block of society, domestic violence poses a threat to its stability and the safety of its members.
Recognizing the importance of family as the foundation of society, the relevant authorities in Kuwait have combined their efforts to confront anything that might threaten family stability and the safety of its members.
Law No. 16 of 2020 established a comprehensive legislative framework for protection from domestic violence, which changed the existing legal situation prior to its enactment. Previously, domestic violence cases were subject to general laws, such as the Penal Code and Personal Status Law, which were insufficient in providing comprehensive protection for victims or addressing the various dimensions of this phenomenon.
Domestic Violence Law No. 16 of 2020, whose executive regulations were issued in 2023, addressed many legal gaps that previously existed, achieving a qualitative shift through various changes. These included establishing a clear definition of domestic violence that extends beyond physical violence to include psychological, verbal, economic, and sexual violence, while encompassing women, children, and the elderly under the term “victims.”
The law also provided immediate protection mechanisms by establishing temporary shelters to provide safe haven for victims. These centers are considered one of the fundamental mechanisms relied upon by the Kuwaiti government to provide protection and support for domestic violence victims, offering safe shelter particularly for women and children who face violence within their families and have nowhere else to turn.
In recent years, the government has made efforts to establish and develop shelters across Kuwait’s governorates, with the first shelter established in the Capital Governorate. This serves as a model for providing integrated services to victims, including psychological support, assistance with legal procedures, and rehabilitation programs to help victims reintegrate into society.
The government is currently working to expand shelter centers across all governorates to cover more victims, while developing the services provided, including increasing specialized staff and providing more effective rehabilitation programs.
One of the important outcomes of the Domestic Violence Protection Law was the establishment of a National Committee for Protection from Domestic Violence, which is one of the main mechanisms the state relies on to combat domestic violence. The committee coordinates governmental and community efforts to provide protection and support for victims, promotes social awareness about this issue, and develops national plans and strategies to combat domestic violence in accordance with international standards.
The law established deterrent penalties for perpetrators of domestic violence while allowing courts to issue alternative penalties, such as mandatory unpaid community service for periods ranging from three to six months (renewable for similar periods), five days per week, two to four hours daily, not exceeding the duration of the original sentence.
The Kuwaiti law specified areas for alternative penalties, including craft work for skilled workers, training and educational work for qualification holders, environmental protection work, assistance in correctional institutions, participation in funeral management, or field work for the Ministry of Public Works.
The law also established a fund for caring for domestic violence victims, with resources allocated from state funding to the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and unconditional donations and grants, to be implemented according to executive regulations governing the fund’s management, jurisdiction, and operational mechanisms.
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