This country profile presents the administrative data collected in Bulgaria during the 2023–2024 data collection exercise with the support of national data providers and national researchers.
The list of 13 indicators developed by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) for the purposes of this data collection exercise is presented in Annex 1.
The data collected in other countries and the methodological report are published in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database.
Key findings of EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise
The figure below outlines the main findings from EIGE’s most recent administrative data collection exercise on intimate partner violence and domestic violence in Bulgaria.
FIGURE 1Main findings
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Victims of domestic violence
- In 2022, 82 % of victims of domestic violence recorded by police were women.
- 451 women victims of domestic violence were recorded in 2022 (out of 550 total victims of domestic violence).
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Femicide
- In 2022, the police recorded 29 women victims of homicide in any relationship.
- Official statistics on the relationships between women victims of homicide and their perpetrators are not available.
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Rape and sexual violence
- In 2022, 96 women victims of rape were recorded by police. Male victims of rape are not recorded by police in Bulgaria.
- In 2022, police recorded 344 women victims of sexual violence (including victims of rape and sexual assault).
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Perpetrators of domestic violence
- In 2022, 48 persons were convicted for crimes that were perpetrated in a situation of domestic violence according to the Criminal Code.
- In the same year, 28 persons were convicted for rape.
Domestic violence
EIGE defines domestic violence as ‘all acts of physical, sexual, psychological or economic violence that occur within the family or domestic unit, irrespective of biological or legal family ties, or between former or current spouses or partners, whether or not the perpetrator shares or has shared a residence with the victim’.
In Bulgaria, new amendments in 2023 to the Law on protection and prevention against Domestic Violence (LPPDV) were passed. With the new amendments, the range of persons who can receive protection from domestic violence was expanded to include intimate partnerships (Article 2). The amendments also require the establishment of a National Council for Prevention and Protection from Domestic Violence (Article 6). The National Council will be required to publish and disseminate statistical information in relation to domestic violence.
In Bulgaria, most victims of domestic violence recorded by police are women (82 % in 2022). In 2022, police recorded 451 women victims of domestic violence (out of 550 total victims).
Figure 2 Annual number of female and total victims of domestic violence, as recorded by police (Indicator 1), 2019-2022
Findings of the EU-GBV survey show that 9.5 % of women in Bulgaria have experienced physical violence (including threats) or sexual violence by a domestic perpetrator during adulthood.
While police data is not available on the number of women victims of intimate partner violence, findings from the EU-GBV survey shed light on the scale of this issue as well. The results show that 21 % of ever-partnered women in Bulgaria have experienced psychological violence, physical violence (including threats), or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Femicide: Number of women killed
EIGE defines femicide as ‘the killing of women and girls because of their gender’. It is the most severe manifestation of gender-based violence. EIGE’s femicide classification framework distinguishes between killings committed by intimate partners and family members and other forms of femicide, which are less common.
In Bulgaria, there is no legal definition of femicide. However, this type of offence may fall under other provisions of Bulgarian criminal law. The relevant articles for identifying femicide cases include Articles 115, 116, 118, 120, 124, and 126 of the Penal Code.
Findings from EIGE’s data collection exercise show, in 2022, the police recorded 29 women victims of homicide committed by any perpetrator. Official data is not available on women killed specifically by intimate partners or domestic perpetrators.
Figure 3 Annual number of female victims of homicide in any relationship, as recorded by police (Indicator 9), 2014-2022
In Bulgaria, official statistics on the relationships between women victims of homicide and their perpetrators are not available. However, research shows that women are more likely to be killed by those closest to them.1
As part of the project ‘Mapping the Murders of Women in Bulgaria’, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee compiled and analysed feminicide data based on the records of 28 district courts in the country. Data published on the project’s case-law database show, between 2012-2017, there have been at least 102 convictions for the intentional killing of women by men in district courts.
Findings from the project also show that almost all perpetrators of femicide know their victims (95 %). In 70 % of cases, victims and perpetrators were in a close relationship, and in 44 % of cases, victims and perpetrators were former or current partners.
Given these findings, efforts should be intensified in Bulgaria to define femicide within the penal code, and to publish national statistics that identify the contexts in which femicide occurs and the relationships between victims and perpetrators.
Sexual violence: Women victims of rape and sexual assault
EIGE defines sexual violence as ‘any sexual act performed on the victim without consent’. Sexual violence can take the form of rape or sexual assault. Rape is defined by EIGE as ‘sexual penetration, whether vaginal, anal or oral, through the use of object or body parts, without consent, using force, coercion or by taking advantage of the vulnerability of the victim’.
In Bulgaria, Article 152 of the Penal Code stipulates that if a person has intercourse with a female that is unable to defend herself and without her consent; through force or threat; or by rendering her helpless, the person will be punished for rape and imprisoned for two to eight years.
Victims of rape
In 2022, 96 women victims of rape were recorded by police. Between 2014 and 2022, the annual number of women victims of rape recorded decreased (from 148 to 96). It should be noted however that fluctuations between years can be attributed to various social and institutional factors and do not necessarily imply that violence has improved or has worsened in the country over time.
Data for female and total victims of rape recorded by police are the same. In accordance Article 152 (1) of the Bulgarian Penal Code, victims of rape can only be females.
Figure 4 Annual number of female victims of rape in any relationship, as recorded by police (Indicator 8), 2014-2022
Victims of sexual violence
In 2022, police recorded 344 women victims of sexual violence (including victims of rape and sexual assault). During the year, women represented 89 % of sexual violence victims recorded by police.
Figure 5 Annual number of female and total victims of sexual violence (including rape and sexual assault) in any relationship (Indicator 6), 2014-2022
Findings of the EU-GBV survey show, 3.4 % of women in Bulgaria have experienced sexual violence by any perpetrator during adulthood. Moreover, 2.6 % of women have endured sexual violence by a domestic perpetrator in their adulthood.
Survey data also sheds light on the risk of sexual violence against girls. Overall, 1.8 % of women in Bulgaria stated that they have experienced sexual violence during childhood, specifically by a male perpetrator.
Perpetrators reported and convicted for violence
A perpetrator is defined as a ‘person brought into formal contact with the police and suspected/arrested or cautioned for a criminal offence’.
Perpetrators reported
In 2022, 366 perpetrators were reported to police for domestic violence against total victims. This figure has increased from 297 in 2019.
Figure 6 Annual number of perpetrators reported to police for offences committed in situations of domestic violence against total victims (Indicator 12), 2019-2022
Perpetrators convicted
In 2022, 48 persons were convicted for crimes that were perpetrated in a situation of domestic violence against total victims according to the Criminal Code (amended and supplemented by SG 16 of 22 February 2019).
Figure 7 Annual number of persons convicted for crimes that were perpetrated in a situation of domestic violence against total victims (Indicator 12), 2019-2022
Data is also available regarding perpetrators convicted for rape. In 2022, 28 persons were convicted for this offence, pursuant to Article 152 of the criminal code.
Figure 8 Annual number of persons convicted of rape against female victims pursuant to Article 152 of the Criminal Code (Indicator 12), 2014-2022
In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Bulgaria had violated Article 3 (Prohibition of torture) and Article 14 (Protection from discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights (A.E. v. Bulgaria). The judgement showed that Bulgaria had not established an effective system to punish all forms of domestic violence and recognised an absence of official comprehensive statistics by authorities on domestic violence.
Summary of data availability and next steps
Findings from EIGE’s 2023-2024 data collection exercise in Bulgaria underscore the persistent threat of domestic violence to the safety and well-being of women and girls.
The collection of robust administrative data on intimate partner violence and domestic violence is essential to ensure effective policymaking, resource allocation, and the development of targeted interventions to support victims and prevent further violence.
EIGE’s research shows that, in Bulgaria, police data is available on victims, offences and perpetrators of offences committed in situations of domestic violence. However, data is not available on specific forms of violence, such as physical, psychological, or economic violence. Moreover, no data has been retrieved on intimate partner violence.
Data is available on the annual number of victims of homicide, rape, and sexual violence. However, these figures are not disaggregated by the victim-perpetrator relationship. The data refers to violence committed by any perpetrator.
Justice sector data is also limited in Bulgaria. While data providers have shared data on perpetrators convicted for offences in situations of domestic violence, and rape, data has not been shared on perpetrators prosecuted or held in prison. This makes it challenging to explore the extent to which men are brought to justice for violence against women.
In May 2024, the EU adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence. Article 44 establishes that Member States must work with EIGE to collect administrative data on these forms of violence and must adhere to common standards. EIGE remains committed to supporting Member States in their efforts to collect comprehensive, reliable data on violence against women and domestic violence.
Further details on the data collected during EIGE’s 2023–2024 data collection exercise are available in EIGE’s Gender Statistics Database and on its website.
Annexes
Annex 1: List of EIGE’s 13 indicators on intimate partner violence and domestic violence