- Dissertation Title: COORDINATED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE – STATUS OF TREATMENT SERVICES FOR PERPETRATORS
- Authors: Marsela Allmuça
- Institution: University of Tirana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Labor and Social Policy
- Field of study: Social work
- Online publication date: 28.05.2026
The dissertation is published in Albanian.
© Copyright: Marsela Allmuça
Published by the University of Tirana
Based on legal acts, regulations and policies of the UT
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ABSTRACT
Domestic and gender-based violence remains a significant social and institutional challenge in Albania, requiring coordinated interventions that include not only the protection of victims, but also the treatment and rehabilitation of perpetrators. This study analyzes the functioning of a coordinated approach to addressing gender-based violence in Albania, with a particular focus on services for the treatment and rehabilitation of perpetrators and the role of Coordinated Referral Mechanisms (CRMs) at the local level.
The study is based on a mixed methodological approach that combines quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative component relies on data collected from a structured questionnaire, completed by 365 professionals who are members of ETNs in 61 municipalities in the country. The qualitative component includes semi-structured interviews with nine professionals who provide rehabilitation services to perpetrators of violence and with thirteen beneficiaries of these programs, analyzed through thematic analysis.
The findings show that, despite a legal and institutional framework, the integration of services for the rehabilitation of perpetrators of violence into local coordination mechanisms remains limited and uneven across areas. Statistical analysis suggests that the level of treatment and professional experience is positively associated with legal knowledge and the perception of the effectiveness of the coordinated approach. Meanwhile, qualitative data highlight challenges related to the lack of institutional resources and limited access to rehabilitation programs, while beneficiaries’ experiences show that these programs can contribute to personal reflection, anger management and motivation for behavior change.
This study contributes to expanding knowledge on the role of perpetrator rehabilitation programs as part of a coordinated approach and provides evidence for the development of more effective policies and practices in addressing gender-based violence in Albania.
Field of study: Social work
Keywords: gender-based violence, domestic violence, rehabilitation of perpetrators, coordinated approach, Coordinated Referral Mechanisms.
ABSTRACT
Domestic violence and gender-based violence remain significant social and institutional challenges in Albania, requiring a coordinated response and extending beyond victim protection to include the treatment and rehabilitation of perpetrators. This study examines the functioning of the coordinated approach to addressing gender-based violence in Albania, with particular attention to services for the treatment and rehabilitation of perpetrators and the role of Coordinated Referral Mechanisms at the local level.
The study adopts a mixed-methods design combining quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative component is based on data collected through a structured questionnaire completed by 365 professionals who are members of MTE across 61 municipalities in Albania. The qualitative component consists of semi-structured interviews with nine professionals who provide rehabilitation services to perpetrators of violence and thirteen beneficiaries who participated in these programs. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
The findings indicate that, despite the existence of a legal and institutional framework, the integration of perpetrator rehabilitation services within local coordination mechanisms remains limited and uneven across municipalities. Statistical analysis indicates that higher levels of professional training and experience are positively associated with greater legal knowledge and more favorable perceptions of the effectiveness of the coordinated approach. At the same time, qualitative findings highlight persistent challenges related to limited institutional resources and restricted access to rehabilitation programs. The experiences of program participants suggest that these interventions can contribute to personal reflection, improved anger management, and increased motivation for behavioral change.
This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the role of perpetrator rehabilitation programs as part of coordinated responses to gender-based violence and provides evidence that may inform the development of more effective policies and practices for addressing gender-based violence in Albania.
Field of study: Social Work
Keywords: gender-based violence, domestic violence, perpetrator rehabilitation, coordinated approach, Coordinated Referral Mechanisms