A new research project entitled “Protective orders in cases of alcohol-related violence in families with children: assessment of the effectiveness of child protection measures (PROVICA)” has been launched at the V. Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU). The project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of protection orders in cases of alcohol-related domestic violence against children. The project is funded by the Scientific Groups Project Programme of the Lithuanian Research Council (S-MIP-25-88). It will run from November 2025 to October 2028.
The Aim of the Study is to Assess How This Measure Works in Practice
Domestic violence, particularly within families with children, remains one of the most complex social issues. Alcohol abuse exacerbates the risk of repeated violence and endangers children. A protection order against domestic violence is considered the primary legal mechanism for swiftly minimising harm and preventing further incidents, yet its effectiveness in terms of child protection has not been adequately researched. The PROVICA study aims to determine whether protection orders effectively protect children in situations involving alcohol-related domestic violence, and which factors lead to better or worse outcomes.
This project will draw on unique administrative data on protection orders collected by the police. As this measure was introduced in Lithuania in June 2023, researchers will be able to analyse the newly implemented intervention practice. This will include analysing the presence of children in violent situations, the perpetrator’s intoxication, the history of previous incidents and standardised risk assessment indicators. The study will focus not only on how many orders are issued, but also on what happens afterwards, such as whether there is a decrease in repeat police interventions and changes in the dynamics of reports to child protection services, as well as whether children are less likely to experience repeated insecurity and other harmful situations.
A Mixed Approach Will Allow to See Both the Numbers and Real Experiences
The study will employ a transdisciplinary mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative analysis of administrative data with qualitative, semi-structured interviews with police officers and child protection specialists. The quantitative analysis will enable us to identify patterns and risk profiles, while the qualitative data will provide insight into how orders are implemented in practice, the challenges faced by specialists, how inter-institutional information transfer and decision-making work, and the procedural gaps that prevent consistent child protection.
A key aspect of the project will be the child-centred analysis of cumulative harm. Based on the theory of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), risk assessment models and child protection policy analysis, the project will assess not only the immediate management of an incident, but also the long-term impact of recurring crises, repeated orders, constant institutional involvement and possible child removals from unsafe environments on the child’s safety and well-being.
Significance of the Project – the Gap Between Legal Measures and Child Safety
PROVICA is novel in its intersection of several under-researched elements: the legal response to domestic violence and the application of protection orders in the context of child protection; the institutional process linking orders issued by the police with subsequent actions in the child protection system; alcohol consumption as a risk factor; and a child-oriented assessment of repeated and cumulative harm. As most studies tend to focus on adult victims or examine alcohol and violence in isolation, this project brings these aspects together in a unified systemic context. This allows us to assess the intended and unintended consequences of protective measures on children.
The project will also evaluate the effectiveness of Lithuanian risk assessment measures in line with internationally recognised practices and evidence-based assessment systems. It is hoped that this will help determine whether current assessment instruments accurately identify high-risk situations involving children and alcohol-related violence.
Expected Results and Dissemination
The project plans to develop a reliable statistical model to assess the effectiveness of protection orders in cases involving children and alcohol abuse. It also aims to create an integrated analytical system to evaluate interagency coordination mechanisms and the application of structured risk assessment measures. Qualitative data will reveal the experiences of specialists, systemic barriers and procedural gaps. The project’s results will contribute to the preparation of a dataset of domestic violence cases with structured variables.
Five articles are planned for publication in international peer-reviewed journals (Q1–Q2), and a policy document for decision-makers and a national report in Lithuanian are planned for interested parties. The results will also be presented at conferences (e.g. Kettil Bruun Society, CEPSA). Dissemination activities will include a seminar for practitioners in 2026 focusing on methodologies for assessing the effectiveness of protection orders in cases of domestic violence, as well as a final scientific conference in 2028 at which the final conclusions will be presented to the academic and political communities. Project information and results will also be published online on the VDU website.
A Stronger Protection for Children and a Better Institutional Response
Although protection orders are legally binding interventions in cases of domestic violence, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding their effectiveness in child protection cases involving alcohol-related violence. The PROVICA study aims to provide evidence-based insights to improve police practices, strengthen inter-agency cooperation and inform possible legal and policy reforms, with the goal of making the response to domestic violence more consistent and ensuring the safety of children.
Research Team
The project is being carried out by a transdisciplinary team of four researchers who have expertise in public policy, child protection and welfare policy, and the formation, implementation and evaluation of alcohol policy. The team comprises Prof. Dr. Ilona Tamutienė, an expert in child welfare and alcohol policy; Prof. Dr. Mindaugas Štelemėkas, a biostatistician and alcohol policy evaluator; Dr. Birutė Peištarė, a specialist in domestic violence, child protection issues and qualitative methods; and Dr. Laura Miščikienė, who has a background in law and biomedicine and focuses primarily on the impact of alcohol policy. The team has experience in academic collaboration and applied policy research, ensuring strong project implementation capabilities.
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