Senate returns law on centres for domestic violence victims to lower house

The Senate has decided not to support a deputies' draft amendment to the law on social services defining the role and obligations of intervention centres for victims of domestic violence. Such centres are to be established in all fourteen regions of the Czech Republic as of January. The Senate pointed out that the intervention centres could start operating without special legislation in place and returned the bill to the lower house with modifications. Under the bill that was passed by the Chamber of Deputies earlier this month, police officers would be able to expel perpetrators of domestic violence from their homes for ten days. Officers would then also report the expulsion to intervention centres whose employees would connect the victims within 48 hours and offer them psychological as well as legal help.