Minister of Justice: 36% drop in domestic violence cases over six months

Justice Minister, Advisor Nasser Al-Sameet, confirmed on Saturday that domestic violence cases registered with the Public Prosecution continue to decline, noting that the reduction rate reached 36 percent during the first six months of implementing the Law for the Protection from Domestic Violence.

Advisor Al-Sameet told the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that statistics from the Ministry of Justice showed a decrease of 365 cases, dropping to 646 cases between March 15 and September 13, 2026, compared to 1,011 cases during the same period in 2025.

He pointed out that the Ministry had announced a 33 percent drop in cases after the first three months of the law’s implementation, which then rose to a 36 percent reduction after six months. This confirms the continued downward trend and indicates that it is not limited to the initial months.

He added that this decline is a clear indicator of the impact of Decree-Law No. 11 of 2026 concerning the Protection from Domestic Violence, which provides special protection for the most vulnerable categories within the family by prohibiting the withdrawal of complaints, settlement, or pardon in cases of sexual abuse and domestic violence crimes committed against children, persons lacking legal capacity, or those with diminished capacity, as well as crimes committed by children against one of their parents.

He clarified that the decrease in cases does not mean that efforts have reached their goal, as every domestic violence case affects family security and stability and requires serious handling. He emphasized that the Ministry of Justice will continue to monitor indicators and periodically measure the impact of legislation.

The Justice Minister stressed that protecting the family is a shared national responsibility, and that legislative development will remain linked to actual outcomes and the ability to protect members of society, curb crime, and reinforce feelings of security and stability.

Earlier, on June 20, the Justice Minister had confirmed that domestic violence cases registered with the Public Prosecution had decreased by 33 percent during the first three months of implementing the new Domestic Violence Protection Law.

It is worth noting that the Cabinet approved the draft decree-law concerning the Protection from Domestic Violence on February 10, which was published in the Official Gazette (Kuwait Al-Yawm) in mid-March.

The draft decree-law, comprising 31 articles, comes within the framework of the state’s constitutional and social commitment to protecting the family unit and enhancing its stability as the basic building block of society, ensuring justice and dignity for all family members and providing a safe environment that contributes to consolidating family and societal stability.