Work with perpetrators of domestic violence in Eastern European and Baltic countries

The aim of the paper is to present and analyse the current state of perpetrator programmes in Eastern European and Baltic countries as this issue has barely been raised in the literature. It is connected to the fact that in described region such programmes are still relatively young phenomena and, comparing to other European Union countries (mostly from Western and Northern Europe), the number of the programmes is still insufficient. Moreover, the number and character of the perpetrator programmes in Eastern European and Baltic countries is to large extend determinate by the traditional gender relations, glorification of traditional family and specific definitions of masculinities and femininities as well as by the state of anti-violence legislation in particular countries. The presented findings result from research on the specificity of work with perpetrators of domestic violence in the region. The analysis is based on the cases of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland. It is to a large extent the result of research conducted within the Daphne III project IMPACT: Evaluation of European Perpetrator Programmes (2013-2014), as well as analysis of national reports delivered by country experts for a project conducted by Work with Perpetrators – European Network in 2013.