In the first half of 2026, Armenia‘s police received 1,375 reports of domestic and family violence. That is 78 more cases than during the same period last year.
Police say that for many years incidents of domestic violence went unreported because families kept them hidden. Now, however, many victims are choosing to contact the police. Law enforcement officials attribute this to people’s growing confidence that “their voices will be heard and their safety and rights will be protected.”
Representatives of civil society have also noticed a change in people’s behaviour. Nare Hayrapetyan, head of the Kotayk regional NGO Women’s Empowerment Resource Centre, describes it as a “victory” that even people who previously categorically rejected the idea are now turning to law enforcement for help.
“Trust in both the state and the institutions responsible for providing protection has increased,” she says.
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Police register 1,155 perpetrators
In the first six months of 2026, Armenian police registered 1,155 people who committed violence against family members, up from 1,011 during the same period last year.
In response to the identified cases of domestic violence, police took the following measures:
- 325 perpetrators received an official warning (compared with 304 last year);
- 961 emergency intervention orders were issued (up from 833 last year).
In Armenia, mediation becomes mandatory before taking family disputes to court
This applies in particular to divorces, child visitation disputes, and alimony cases. The matter will be referred to court only if no agreement is reached through mediation.
Civil society’s role in preventing domestic violence
The Interior Ministry says cooperation between civil society organisations and the police is key to preventing domestic violence. To strengthen that cooperation, regular meetings are held in Yerevan and the regions to assess the effectiveness of joint efforts and identify existing challenges.
“Our cooperation with the police is at a very high level,” says Anahit Abgaryan, head of the NGO Talin-Huys.
According to her, many more people are now turning to the police, which she also sees as a result of growing trust in the system.
“In the past, we encouraged victims to go to the police. We explained that we could not guarantee their safety in the same way the police could. But they refused,” Abgaryan says.
Protecting victims is the priority
According to Georgy Khachatryan, head of the Police Department for Professional Methodological Support, police respond promptly to every report of domestic violence.
“For a police officer working in the community, protecting victims of violence is the priority,” he says.
He outlined the police’s main responsibilities:
- identifying and preventing all forms of violence;
- protecting every person subjected to violence;
- taking the necessary measures to reduce the risk of repeat violence.
Khachatryan argues that the increase in domestic violence reports should not be viewed as a negative indicator.
“Domestic violence is, in fact, a hidden crime. Therefore, the increase in detected cases does not necessarily mean there are more incidents of violence. Rather, these crimes are now coming to the attention of law enforcement authorities,” he says.
To improve the speed of emergency responses, the SAFE YOU app has been operating since 2025 as part of a partnership between the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Armenian police.
“When an alert is triggered, it ensures the simultaneous involvement of all relevant state agencies. This is crucial both for a rapid response and for organising protection measures,” Khachatryan said.
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