Abstract
This article aims to present an overview of the theoretical aspect of domestic violence, with particular emphasis on the cycle of domestic violence and the forms and consequences of violence. The authors indicate stereotypes that sustain domestic violence. They also present the scale of the phenomenon of domestic violence in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship in the years 2017–2022 based on the statistical data of the Provincial Police Headquarters and the Provincial Programme for Counteracting Domestic Violence of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship for 2023–2028. The number of crimes identified under Article 207 of the Penal Code, registered by Police units subordinate to the Provincial Police Headquarters in Kielce, was analyzed along with the number of Blue Cards, i.e. reported cases of being a victim of violence. Many people and institutions are involved in the prevention of domestic violence, including the Police, social services, educationalists and school psychologists, as well as representatives of the judiciary and non-governmental organizations. Domestic violence is a phenomenon that represents a contemporary challenge for state’s social policy.