In the first seven months of this year, the University Clinic of Psychiatry at the Public Health Institution (PHI) recorded 101 cases of patients seeking professional support for the psychological effects of domestic or intimate partner violence. According to an analysis of electronic health records, this exceeds the 79 cases recorded in all of 2025.
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The study was based on a retrospective review of data from the “My Appointment” system for the period January 2025–July 2026. The analysis included patients diagnosed with conditions in the F43 group, which are related to stress disorders.
The Clinic said the findings were presented by Prof. Dr. Sllavica Arsova at the 2026 International Conference on Forensic Psychiatry in Ohrid. Her lecture covered the forensic aspects of domestic violence, its epidemiology and effects on mental health, and the therapeutic and forensic role of the psychiatrist. In 2026, the highest figures were recorded in March, with 27 patients, followed by April with 23 and June with 21. According to the Clinic, this period coincided with an incident in Skopje in which a mother jumped from a balcony with her child after experiencing domestic violence for years.
However, Prof. Arsova clarified that these figures reflect cases documented by medical services and do not necessarily indicate an increase in domestic violence in society. She noted that the number recorded may also be linked to better identification and documentation of cases, as well as more efficient referrals of patients to health institutions.
The analysis shows that the effects of domestic and intimate partner violence are seen across all age groups. Patients are an average of 40 years old; 19 are under 18 and 29 are over 60. The number of women was three times higher than the number of men.
The statement said the lecture emphasized the importance of health professionals asking patients about their safety in a safe environment. It also called for systematic documentation of the type and duration of violence, alongside the implementation of protocols that provide for the involvement of all responsible institutions. Identifying violence was described as essential to providing appropriate psychiatric support, assessing risk and ensuring patients receive the protection they need.
The data presented by the Clinic are supported by statistics from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which show that reports of domestic violence rose from 4,421 in 2022 to 5,436 in 2025.
According to the Clinic, in the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ categories for 2025, women were most frequently listed as victims, with 1,438 cases, while parents were recorded in 1,000 cases and former spouses in 708. That year, 1,195 complaints related to domestic violence were recorded, compared with 1,117 in 2022.
