This thesis examines domestic violence and gaps in accessing justice. To this end, it employsrnqualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews and data gathered from Hawassa CityrnPolice Stations as well as legal reviews. This thesis principally scrutinize gaps of access tornjustice in domestic violence cases at Hawassa City going through both formal and informalrnadministration of justice and taking legal protection, legal awareness and remedy as componentsrnof access to justice. The writer contends that the non-ratification of Optional Protocol tornCEDAW and Maputo Protocol would have provide additional avenue for victims of domesticrnviolence to access remedies. The Criminal Code is just implying something is being done ratherrnthan reflecting interest of the health and safety of individual women by regulating the wide swathrnof violations in addition to physical violence. There is both financial and expertise constraint,rnlack of training methodology to evaluate the attitudinal change of stakeholders and low level ofrncivil society involvement in addressing legal awareness about the available remedies andrnavenues.rnThis thesis also finds out that the discretion of the police to initiate investigation, resourcernconstraints in evidence gathering, the usual base of the public prosecutors evidence only on thernstatement of the victim and high withdrawals of cases to the informal administration ofrnjustice/mediation starting from the police to the trial, unavailability of victim support service arernthe common problems faced in the criminal justice system. Besides, lack of enough expertise inrnenforcing custody judgment of the court and absence of strong legal aid provisions up tornrepresenting the victim in civil suits are the focal issues in the civil justice system.rnSo much so that, the thesis proposes for the ratification of both Optional Protocol to CEDAWrnand Maputo Protocol, the enactment of comprehensive law in addressing physical, sexual,rnpsychological and economic violations as a crime in addition to the provision of different civilrnremedies. Allocating adequate budget in addressing awareness creation, cooperation with civilrnsociety organizations in addressing support services as well as legal aid services for victims ofrndomestic violence are also some of the way outs sought by the thesis.