Marking the Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Day, the Ministry of Justice highlights the necessity for an even stronger and more efficient fight from all state organs, the media and entire society against the unacceptable subject social occurrence. The Ministry of Justice notes that the Domestic Violence Prevention Act was adopted at the end of 2016 and enforced on 1 June 2017.
The Act has introduced entirely novel urgent measures in public proceedings to the Serbian legal system. It has also prescribed a mandatory coordination of the competent institutions and the preparation of individual plans of protection of every domestic violence victim. Since June 2017, the competent authorities have reviewed over 40,000 cases of domestic violence, the courts have ordered over 14,000 urgent measures and approximately 10,000 individual plans of victims’ protection and support have been drafted. Data suggests that the Act has in fact encouraged potential and actual victims to report their abusers and the whole society not to look away in cases of domestic violence.
Simultaneously, the Criminal Code had been amended to the effect of Serbia having harmonised its legislation with the Istanbul Convention. New criminal offences of stalking, sexual harassment, forced marriage and female genital mutilation were introduced, adding to the legal protection of women.
During 2017 and the first half of 2018, the Ministry continued with the implementation of the Act and, based on different analyses, conducted a series of professional trainings for those competent to apply the Act: prosecutors, police officers, social protection officers, health workers... Unfortunately, cases of domestic violence resulting in death remain. Precisely this should serve as an alert to all not to turn a blind eye to violence and to report it in order to prevent tragic outcomes.
The Ministry of Justice once more calls on all to report violence, whether in their family or against others, because only jointly shall we stop the abusers and demonstrate that the society will not tolerate domestic violence. Last year, the Government of Serbia declared 18 May the Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Day.