CHALLENGES OF FAMILY MEDIATION IN CASES OF PARTNER VIOLENCE

Obiteljska medijacija je strukturirani proces mirnog rješavanja problema i spornih pitanja između članova obitelji uz pomoć obiteljskog medijatora kao neutralne osobe. Cilj obiteljske medijacije je pronalaženje kreativnih rješenja spornih pitanja i postizanja zajedničkog sporazuma. Najčešće se koristi u rješavanju sporova o roditeljskoj skrbi. Međutim, u slučajevima gdje je prisutno nasilje u partnerskom odnosu neke temeljene pretpostavke nužne za provedbu medijacijskog procesa dolaze u pitanje jer uključene strane nemaju jednaku moć, u pitanje dolazi neutralnost medijatora, upitna je dobrovoljnost sudjelovanja, kao i sigurnost žrtve. Nasilje se razlikuje po tipu, intenzitetu i učestalosti, a ovisno o tome, donosi se i procjena o prikladnosti uključivanja svakog pojedinog slučaja u medijacijski proces. Kada je žrtva spremna biti uključena u proces medijacije i traži mogućnost uključivanja, medijaciju ne treba eliminirati kao neprihvatljivu opciju. Sve je argumentiraniji stav profesionalne zajednice da medijacija može biti uspješna u situacijama sporova kad je bilo nasilje u partnerskom odnosu, ali uz poduzimanje odgovarajućih mjera predostrožnosti, te kad ga provode kvalitetno educirani medijatori. S obzirom da se jasno pokazalo da procjenjivanje nasilja postaje najvažniji dio procesa donošenje odluke o tome koji slučaj (ni)je prikladan za medijaciju, u radu su detaljno prikazani ključni instrumenti procjene opravdanosti obiteljske medijacije u slučajevima nasilja u partnerskim odnosima.Argumentira se potreba i opisuje mogući sadržaj protokola/smjernica koji bi opisali način odlučivanja o izuzeću slučajeva iz obiteljske medijacije u kojima je prisutno nasilje.Family mediation is a structured process of peaceful resolving of issues between family members with the help of a family mediator as the neutral party. The aim of family mediation is finding creative solutions to problematic issues and reaching mutual agreement. It is mostly used to settle disputes over child custody and parental care. However, in cases where there is violence between partners, some fundamental prerequisites necessary for the process of mediation come into question because the parties involved are of unequal power, neutrality of the mediator is also questioned, as well as voluntary participation and the safety of the victim. Violence may be of various intensity and frequency, based on which an assessment is made whether it is appropriate to include a case in the process of mediation. When a victim is ready to be included in the process of mediation and asks for the possibility to be included, mediation should not be dismissed as an unacceptable option. Experts are increasingly of the opinion that mediation can be successful in cases of violence between partners, but only if adequate precautionary measures are taken and if it is carried out by well trained mediators. As it has become clear that assessment of violence is becoming the most important factor in the process of deciding which case is (in)appropriate for mediation, this paper presents in detail the key instruments for the assessment of justification of family mediation in cases of violence between partners. The need for mediation is argued and a description is given of a possible protocol/guidelines that would shed more light on how to decide about exempting from family mediation those cases in which violence is present