UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 81) ENIND/ VAWDV action plan, together with the National Support Network for DV Victims are core instruments in preventing and combating VAWDV. The new action plan focuses on six strategic goals: … 2) support and protect by expanding and consolidating intervention;
Para 82) Portuguese law provides a complete and comprehensive legal framework on the investigation and prosecution of the crime of DV. Article 152 of CC, which defines the crime of DV, was recently amended by Law 44/2018, adding a new aggravating circumstance: the dissemination, on the Internet or by any other means of public dissemination, of personal data, namely image or sound, regarding the privacy of one of the victims without his/her consent. In this case, the penalty is increased.
Para 95) After placing a formal complaint, victims are granted a status of special vulnerability and DV victim and are entitled to support measures.
Para 96) The RNAVVD foresees support centres and short and long-term shelters, according to the different levels of risk assessment, and present various types of interventions to victims and their children.
Para 97) Portugal has 40 shelters for women and minors, including one for men with 6 vacancies, shelters for disabled women and women with mental illnesses (totalling 17 vacancies). There are 26 emergency centres for women including 1 for men and 1 for LGBTI people.
Para 98) There are 122 support centres, including for women victims of sexual violence, for men victims of DV and sexual abuse, and LGBTI people.
Para 99) Since 2016, the Government is reinforcing the RNAVVD namely through partnerships with municipalities, local authorities and NGOs, to ensure nationwide coverage and suitability of the network according to territorial specificities. New regulations were adopted in 2018 concerning RNAVVD’s organisation and functioning in terms of counselling, emergency housing and shelters for DV victims.
Para 100) CIG developed a “Resource Guide” and launched, in 2017, the AppVD mobile application, which provides information on all the support services available, ways to file a complaint or to request information.
Para 101) Regarding NHS, Order 5655/2017 reinforced the integrated intervention model of interpersonal violence throughout the lifecycle and teams for adult violence prevention mechanisms and clarified some of their functioning issues.
Para 102) To reinforce training of relevant professionals, namely in the justice (prosecutors, judges, lawyers, court clerks), security forces and health areas (medical doctors, nurses, administrative staff), CIG established protocols to provide more adequate training opportunities.
Para 103) Law 72/2015 and Law 96/2017 (see chapter B) consider DV as a crime of priority prevention and investigation. 104. In 2018, the Prosecutor General established a WG on DV to outline its DV strategy, including the adoption of best practices and the standardisation of procedures in criminal courts, and in family and children’s courts.
Para 105) Investigation and prosecution of DV victims has been increasing, as well as the number of persons convicted for this crime in first instance criminal courts: from 1.661 in 2014 to 1.909 in 2017125 .
Para 106) Under the EEA Grants, a study will be initiated in 2019 to assess the efficacy of measures applied to perpetrators and identify needs for improvement.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 28) EU-FRA noted that the Civil Code was amended to allow for the Public Prosecutor to consider imposing protection orders due to domestic violence, when initiating and deciding on parental responsibilities.