The master’s thesis researches the process of protection and help for victims of violence following the issuance of a restraining order. In the first chapter, I’m defining the types and forms of domestic violence, presenting the operation and legal framework for the work of the institutions in the field of domestic violence prevention, and describing the restraining order measure. This is followed by the methodological part in which I characterize my qualitative research as an evaluative research. I am evaluating the process of protection and help for victims of violence, the efforts made by those involved in the process, the intended and unintended effects of these efforts, and the achievement of goals. I have primarily focused on the protection process that follows the issuance of the restraining order, which means I am interested in how those involved in the process prevent violence if the order does not achieve the goal of victim’s safety. To consider multiple perspectives, representatives from various institutions in the field of domestic violence prevention and victims who have been involved in the process participated in the research. I conducted the research through interviews, and I analysed the data through open and axial coding of the interviews. The results of the research show that restraining orders are often issued by the police but less frequently extended by the courts, depending on the case. The Društvo za nenasilno komunikacijo is making efforts to encourage institutions to actively participate. It helps them overcoming barriers through employee training, addressing the issue of non-issuance of restraining orders or sanctions for their violations, and promoting teamwork. Institutions are concerned because the victims often don’t report violations of restraining order, as they often avoid participation due to negative experiences and fear. It turns out that they prefer to seek help within their social networks.
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