Tolerance of violence, especially violence against children, will be null, stressed Ombudsman Matjaz Hanzek after meeting with several top Slovenian officials on Wednesday. As he explained, the attendance of several ministers and high officials at the meeting is a clear message that the government will no longer tolerate violence.
Domestic violence topped Hanzek's meeting with State Prosecutor General Zdenka Cerar, Interior Minister Rado Bohinc, Labour Minister Vlado Dimovski, Health Minister Dusan Keber and representatives of the Justice Ministry and the Supreme Court.

Changes to the existing legislation are probably going to be proposed in the future, according to Hanzek, who added that individual ministries will first try to establish the situation in this field by carrying out surveys.

The changes to legislation are to ensure better protection for the victim, plus a national programme on domestic violence prevention is to be initiated, said the ombudsman.

Hanzek, who assumed the office in early 2001, could not say that domestic violence is increasing, although it may seem so. What is increasing is that cases of violence are more widely discussed. The ombudsman in fact hopes that violence has not increased, but that the society has become more aware of it.

Health Minister Keber said that violence has been an integral part of human history, but the cases were more isolated because victims simply did not believe that society could help them. Because more cases of violence are being spoken about today, it seems as if violence is increasing, said the minister.

Violence is brutal and twisted and there is too much of it to be tolerated, stressed the state prosecutor general. She said that the prosecution wants to find a way to step in between the victim and the perpetrator before the crime is committed.

Today's meeting also discussed Austria's act on violence prevention, as a model that gives police jurisdiction to intervene to the benefit of the victim of domestic violence even against the person's will. Slovenia is planning to introduce a similar regulation.

It is a well-established fact that the police often comes across negative reactions of the victims, because they are terrified that the perpetrator would come back, explained Cerar.

Currently, the prosecution has the option of getting a restraining order for the violent partner, she added.

The contribution of the police in fighting violence is essential but not sufficient to tame the issue, said Interior Minister Bohinc. According to police records, violence is increasing, especially violence against children, so violence prevention remains a priority of the Slovenian police in 2003.

Bohinc also outlined the foreseen changes to the act on police, which were hailed at today's meeting. As he explained, the current legislation does not authorise police to intervene in cases of domestic violence.

The amendment will authorise the police to get a restraining order on the perpetrator. The violent person will have to leave the scene or be taken away by force. The police will be obliged to notify social service and NGOs that give aid to victims of violence.