Hungary

Population size: 

9,769,950[1]

Number of people experiencing domestic abuse each year:

Prevalence of domestic violence against women (lifetime) 21%.[2]

No research on male victims or other gender identities.

Cost of domestic abuse to the economy each year:

No research.

Estimated % change due to COVID-19:

Reported domestic violence incidents in Hungary have doubled since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown.[3]

Current law and policy:

Hungary commits to criminalise domestic violence, prioritizes prevention efforts.

Hungary will include domestic violence as an independent factual situation under criminal law from 2013. The proposal for the legislative text is currently being prepared by a governmental working group involving civil experts, law enforcement officials, as well as representatives of jurisdiction, the police, and the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights.

The Hungarian Government considers prevention as a priority. In 2013 a working group will be set up in order to develop instruments of conflict management and awareness raising, paying distinctive attention to the areas of public education, social sector, police and jurisdiction. In accordance with the aims determined by the working group, the Ministry of Human Resources is planning a targeted social purpose campaign in 2013.

As a pilot project, the Ministry of Human Resources has recently introduced a new prevention program to prevent victimization with the involvement of a highly experienced NGO. The project will run from 15 December 2012 to 30 September 2013 and focuses on awareness-raising workshops and the education of secondary school students in order to reduce the possibility of victimization. Besides broadening young people’s knowledge with a focus on domestic violence and child abuse, the aim of the programme is to shape young people’s attitude, to enable them how to recognize an abuser’s behaviour notes and sources of danger of victimization in time. Within the framework of the pilot project, the development of a methodology package will be carried out, laying the foundations to realize a nation-wide prevention programme in the future.

3.1% of GDP on violence containment (excluding individuals’ expenditures and indirect costs such as lost wages resulting from lower productivity or absenteeism).[4]

Frontline Services:

• Magyar Nők Szövetsége (Association of Hungarian Women) - http://nokszovetsege.hu/ ; https://www.facebook.com/magyarnokszovetsege/ - info@nokszovetsege.hu

• Patent Association / Society Against Patriarchy - https://patent.org.hu/en/ - https://patent.org.hu/en/contact-us

• Magyar Nöi Erdekérvényesitö Szövetség (Hungarian Women’s Lobby) - https://www.womenlobby.org/Hungarian-Women-s-Lobby ; http://www.facebook.com/NoiErdek - noierdek@gmail.com

• A Nők a Nőkért Együtt az Erőszak Ellen (NANE) Egyesület (The Women for Women Against Violence Association) - https://nane.hu/ - info@nane.hu

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Sources

[1] The World Bank, (1).

[2] https://www.genderindex.org/wp-content/uploads/files/datasheets/2019/HU.pdf (2019)

[3] https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/05/hungary-blocking-of-domestic-violence-treaty-further-exposes-women/ (May 2020)

[4] http://economicsandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-Economic-Cost-of-Violence-Containment.pdf (page 14) (2012)

Further Reading

[1] UN Women, (10).