About Domestic Violence

What are the signs?

If you are changing your behavior because you are afraid of your partner’s reaction, it may be abuse. Many women experience domestic violence without being physically harmed.

Remember: non-physical forms of abuse can be just as destructive and damaging as physical abuse.

Types of domestic violence

Psychological/emotional abuse: Includes insults, threats, and manipulation, blaming, or belittling.
Economic abuse: Controlling your access to money or resources. Your partner may take your paycheck, stop you from working, or put you in debt without your knowledge or consent.
Sexual abuse: Doesn’t have to be physical. Your partner may manipulate, deceive, or force you to do things you don’t want to do.
Coercive control: When an abuser uses a pattern of behavior over time to exert power and control.
Physical abuse: Most often hits, but he may restrain you or throw objects at you. He may pinch or push you and claim it is a "joke".
Cyber: He may send abusive messages, demand access to your devices, track you with spyware or share your photos online.

Statistics

There are no official statistics on domestic violence cases in Bulgaria.

Every third woman has experienced some form of violence (EU data)
Since the beginning of the year, 5 women have been killed by men in Bulgaria
In 2024, at least 20 women were killed by their current or former partners or other close relatives. Source: Media monitoring of cases of murders of women: http://spasena.org/bg/media_monitoring
According to the latest data from the Ministry of Interior, there has been an increase in the number of reports of domestic violence registered and recorded on the SES 112. Over 53,000 reports of violence were filed in 2024.
Registered crimes mean crimes within the meaning of the Criminal Code in the context of domestic violence, i.e. there was a minor or serious bodily injury inflicted at home. In 2022, these cases were 873 cases, in 2024 they were 2555, which is almost three times more. The same is true of the bodily injuries that were inflicted. From 280 in 2022 to 1812 in 2024 - here there is an almost six-fold increase. (data from the Society and Security Foundation)
After the elimination of the requirement for consistency in the definition in Art. 93, item 31 of the Criminal Code, it was found that newly initiated pre-trial proceedings (TP) for this category of crimes in 2024 increased by ≈128% compared to 2023. (data from the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Bulgaria)
11.9% of women aged 18-74 have experienced physical and/or sexual violence ("at least one of the two types of violence") during their adult lives (NSI)
20.5% of women aged 18 - 74 in the country who currently have or have ever had a partner have experienced one or more cases of intimate partner violence (NSI)
Young women (aged 18 to 29) are at the greatest risk of intimate partner violence compared to women of other age groups. Every third woman aged 18 - 29 years old has been abused by a current or former partner - 36.3% (NSI).
At least 1 in 3 children in Bulgaria are subjected to violence (30.9%) according to a UNICEF study.
Violence against women costs our country over 6.8 billion euros each year, and in total for the European Union this figure is 366 billion annually.
The difference in pay between men and women (the so-called Gender Pay Gap). In Bulgaria, men receive 12.2% higher pay than women.
The Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Protection from Domestic Violence was promulgated on 1.08.2023

20 signs that your partner is prone to violence

1	They get angry easily and often, even by things that most people don't pay attention to
2	They are the center of attention most of the time, but feel threatened by other people whom they perceive as competitors
3	They often express themselves arrogantly and with a sense of superiority, and when provoked, can become cruel
4	Pathologically jealous
5	Accept themselves as the last resort, the ultimate authority
6	Incapable of sympathy and empathy for the emotions of others
7	Lie, manipulate, project guilt and responsibility onto everyone but themselves
8	Often switch between adoration and humiliation with ease
9	Repeat the same patterns of behavior, do not learn from their mistakes
10	Always manage to find an excuse for everything they do to you, no matter how cruel it is
11	Prone to passive or open aggression
12	They punish you for your transgressions, usually disproportionate to your "misdeeds"
13	Threaten to leave you, but do not allow you to leave them
14	Demean you, make you feel unworthy
15	Take over the role of victim, and turn you into an aggressor
16	Believe that initially everything in your life together is due to them, and after a possible separation, believe that everything together belongs to them by right
17	Believe that you are to blame for the end of the relationship
18	May try to keep you or continue with contacts after the end of the relationship in order to harass you. May also try to manipulate your new partner
19	They easily replace you with a new partner and move on relatively easily with their life
20	Instill feelings of guilt and inferiority

How to support someone affected by domestic violence▼

It takes a lot of strength to talk about your experiences, especially because women are often rejected when they share them.

Step One

Recognize that even though she is in a scary and difficult situation, she is taking an important and courageous step forward by reaching out to you.

Listen

It can be a real challenge for friends and family to support someone who is experiencing domestic violence, but the most important thing you can do is provide emotional support. Listen to them and believe them. Allow them to express their feelings to you and give them time and space. Keep in mind that domestic violence is about one person trying to control another - the perpetrator will likely have taken a lot of control away from them, so don't do the same. Instead of taking the situation out of their hands or making decisions for them, let them know that there is support for them if and when they decide to reach out. They may decide that it is not the right time to get support or leave. This is normal, it is important not to pressure them or judge them for making this decision. Let them set their own boundaries about what they feel is safe and what is not. Remember that they are the expert in their own experiences.

Report

However, if you have a reason to believe that someone is in immediate danger, then you can call the police or encourage the victim to call the police if they are able to do so. Let them know that they are not alone and refer them to support services. Support workers can help them cope with the abuse and tell them about the options available to them. They may have been physically abused as well as emotionally abused. If they share this information with you, you can offer to go with them to their GP or hospital. If she feels comfortable doing so, you can help her report the assault(s) to the police. The abuser may have told her that she deserved the abuse. Reassure her that this is not true, no one deserves to be threatened or hurt. There is no excuse for the abuser’s behavior, the abuser is solely responsible for their actions.

Don’t judge. Use supportive language

It can be difficult to hear someone talk about what they are going through, but it is important not to turn your feelings into judgmental words. Judgmental language about domestic violence can reinforce dangerous stereotypes. It can make it harder for women to understand the abuse they are experiencing, to come to terms with it, and to seek professional support. Instead of saying, “If I were you, I would leave,” try to show that you understand the many obstacles she is facing, from financial to emotional, by saying, “I understand there are obstacles to leaving.” Leaving is a huge decision that can lead to further abuse, and it is important that she makes her decision when she feels ready. It is also important to be an empowering voice and not blame her for the abuse. Instead of “What did you do to provoke him?” try “You don’t deserve this, no matter what” or instead of “That’s not like him,” try “Your feelings are valid and I believe you.”
When you are supporting someone, your words are powerful. It is extremely important that survivors get the right response when they reach out to you.

Take care of yourself

Remember to take care of yourself while supporting someone through a difficult and emotional time. Don’t put yourself in dangerous situations. You should not offer to talk to the abuser or put yourself in situations where the abuser might perceive you as a threat. If the abuser knows that your friend or family member is seeking help, or if you confront them about the abuse, it may lead to an escalation of the abuse.

Why doesn't she just leave?▼

We need to stop blaming victims for staying and start supporting them to empower them to leave. Once we understand the many barriers that prevent a person from leaving an abusive relationship – psychological, emotional, financial, physical or cyber threats – we can start supporting and empowering them to make the best decision. At the same time, we hold only the abuser accountable for their behavior. Here are some of the reasons that prevent women from leaving:

Danger and fear

One of the biggest reasons women don’t leave is that it can be extremely dangerous. The fear that women experience is very real – the likelihood of violence following a breakup increases significantly.

Isolation

Domestic violence often relies on isolating the victim. The perpetrator works to weaken her ties with family and friends, making it extremely difficult to seek support. Perpetrators often try to reduce the woman’s contact with the outside world to prevent her from realising that their behaviour is abusive and wrong. Isolation leads to women becoming extremely dependent on their controlling partner.

Shame, embarrassment or denial

Perpetrators are often respected or liked in their communities because they are charming and manipulative. This prevents people from recognising the abuse and further isolates the woman. The perpetrator often belittles, denies or blames the victim for the abuse. Victims may feel ashamed or make excuses to themselves and others to cover up the abuse.

Trauma and low self-esteem

Imagine being told every day that you are worthless and the impact this has on your self-esteem. Victims have very limited freedom to make decisions about abuse, are often traumatised, regularly told “you couldn’t do it on your own, you need me”. Fear is constant and they live in a world of daily terror.

Practical reasons

Abusers often control every aspect of their victim’s life, making it impossible to work or be financially independent. By controlling access to money, women are left unable to support themselves and their children. They may fear that their children will be taken away.

Support is not available when they need it

Asking for help is not easy. A lack of understanding of domestic violence often prevents professionals from knowing what to do, how to talk about it, or where to refer women who disclose abuse.