Specific issues of criminal liability for domestic violence

The article is devoted to the analysis of criminal liability for domestic violence. According to Article 126-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, domestic violence is defined as intentional systematic commission of physical, psychological or economic violence against a spouse or ex-spouse or another person with whom the perpetrator is (was) in a family or close relationship, leading to physical or psychological suffering, disorders health, disability, emotional dependence or deterioration of the victim’s quality of life. The analysis of the objective side of the mentioned criminal offense shows that domestic violence is a criminal offense with a material component. The act is to commit: physical, psychological and economic violence. A victim of domestic violence may be a spouse or ex-spouse or another person with whom the perpetrator is (was) in a family or close relationship, as well as other persons who are related by common life, have mutual rights and obligations, subject to joint residence. It was stated that recent changes in criminal law have made a significant contribution to the fight against domestic violence in Ukraine. These changes take into account generally accepted international principles of regulation of the studied sphere of relations. However, the problem remains the vagueness of domestic legislation and the lack of a unified position on the qualification of acts that constitute domestic violence.