Analytical Center
COURT CASES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE analysis of decisions under Article 126–1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (2019–2023)
This analytical report shows how criminal justice works in practice in cases of domestic violence under Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — and where the system fails.
We analyzed first instance court decisions in approximately 6,000 cases between 2019 and 2023. This provides statistics on domestic violence across the country: case dynamics and regional differences, types of punishment for domestic violence.
Trends in the number of domestic violence cases:
*Domestic violence statistics from 2019 to 2023
The focus is on judicial practice under the Criminal Code article on domestic violence.
A separate section is devoted to the specific penalties imposed by courts for domestic violence and how approaches are changing. In particular, community service remains the most common type of punishment, while the proportion of cases involving imprisonment and other more severe sanctions is increasing.
The report also examines the “bottlenecks” in law enforcement: how reconciliation agreements and other agreements work in proceedings, and how (and with what risks) exemption from criminal liability is applied in cases related to domestic violence.
Finally, it offers conclusions and practical recommendations for courts, prosecutors, police, the legal aid system, government agencies, and the public sector on what can be changed to improve the quality of the state’s response and reduce the risk of repeat violence.
The report also helps identify areas for improvement in law enforcement practices to ensure an appropriate approach to handling such cases, and the results will form the basis for strengthening advocacy for change in the field of combating domestic violence and protecting the rights of victims.
Dynamics of the number of punishments in the form of community service:
*Statistics on community service penalties for domestic violence from 2019 to 2023
COURT CASES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE analysis of decisions under Article 126–1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (2024)
The 2024 report is the next step in our monitoring of how judicial practice works in 2024 in cases of domestic violence under Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. We have retained an approach that allows for comparison of data between years (first instance judgments and rulings + official statistics), while expanding our analysis in areas where the details are crucial for the actual protection of victims and the quality of law enforcement.
According to the report, in 2024, there were 2024 criminal proceedings recorded — 1778 cases under Article 126-1. This provides up-to-date statistics on domestic violence: regional dynamics and differences between regions.
Particular attention is paid to how courts choose punishments for domestic violence and how the legislative innovations of 2024, in particular probation as an alternative to arrest, affect practice.
Unlike the report for 2019–2023, the report for 2024 significantly expands the scope of the study. Along with analyzing verdicts and settlements, it systematically examines civil claims for damages in domestic violence cases, restrictive measures in domestic violence cases, the practice of appointing expert examinations, the evaluation of how programs for abusers work, and the issue of children as victims for the first time.
The study demonstrates a change in the approaches of the courts: an almost complete rejection of formal mechanisms for exemption from liability and a gradual transition to models focused on the real protection of victims. At the same time, an analysis of alternative measures, in particular programs for abusers, reveals uneven implementation across regions and a lack of systematic control over their effectiveness.
The key problem identified in previous reports remains unchanged: domestic violence in Ukraine has a clearly gendered character—the majority of perpetrators are men, and the majority of victims are women.
Gender of the abuser
Gender of the victim
*Most perpetrators in domestic violence cases are men. Most victims are women.
The situation of children is particularly alarming: even when they witness violence, courts rarely recognize them as victims, which indicates a systemic underestimation of the harm caused to children. That is why the 2024 report not only records trends but also lays the groundwork for advocating for real change in judicial and law enforcement practices.
At the end, there are conclusions and recommendations for courts, prosecutors, the police, the legal aid system, government agencies, and the public sector: what exactly can be changed to strengthen the protection of victims and improve the quality of the judicial response.
Types of punishment:
*All types of punishment for domestic violence in 2024
Analysis of the draft Civil Code
On January 22, 2026, a draft of the new Civil Code of Ukraine (reg. No. 14394) submitted by members of the Ukrainian parliament was made public. The document is positioned as a comprehensive reform of private law and a step towards harmonization with European standards. At the same time, an analysis of its provisions reveals conceptual and structural risks that could affect the scope and quality of civil rights protection.
The draft introduces a number of evaluative categories, including “good practice,” which do not have clear criteria for application. Such formulations expand the discretion of law enforcement agencies and undermine the principle of legal certainty by replacing legal standards with moral judgments. This creates the potential for unpredictable and uneven practice.
Significant changes relate to family law. The definition of marriage exclusively as a union between a woman and a man, the lack of legal recognition of same-sex couples, certain provisions regarding the age of marriage, and restrictions on divorce create risks of narrowing rights and inequality in access to civil law protection.
Certain provisions may complicate the protection of women and children, in particular through additional procedural barriers or vague criteria for assessing “appropriate” behavior.
The expansion of grounds for restricting civil capacity is also a cause for concern, as it could lead to abuse in the absence of clear safeguards.
Despite the stated goal of modernizing and updating civil legislation, the proposed text contains provisions that require substantial revision in light of the principles of equality, non-discrimination, and legal certainty. This analysis examines the key risks, conflicts, and potential consequences of adopting the Draft in its current form.