"40 women killed in domestic violence incidents"

BELGRADE According to Women Against Violence Network, at least 40 women have been killed in the country in the last ten months in domestic-violence related incidents. The data of the coalition of women’s NGOs was presented by State Secretary with the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy Stana Bozovic. "40 women killed in domestic violence incidents" Speaking at a conference held in Belgrade to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Bozovic said that 2012 saw 32 women killed in domestic violence incidents, in 2011 the number of women victims was 29 and 20 in 2010.. She pointed out that in 2012, only two persons were handed a prison sentence between two to five years for acts of violence against women. In that same year, she added, 64 percent of the sentences for violence against women amounted to six months in prison, 26 percent of the sentences were up to one year imprisonment, and only ten percent were between one to three years in prison. Bozovic said that a total of 9,323 domestic violence victims received assistance from centers for social work in Serbia last year. Addressing the conference participants, Police Director Milorad Veljovic said in February this year, the Serbian Ministry of the Interior adopted a law enforcement protocol for handling domestic violence situations, with a special focus on victims’ protection and improvement of collection of evidence, adding that 1,300 police officers have been trained for dealing with these problems. Veljovic appealed to non-governmental organizations, state institutions and citizens to get actively involved in resolving domestic violence problems, stressing that the Interior Ministry will be a reliable partner in these efforts. (Beta) "Prompt trials" The trials in domestic violence cases and proceedings for violence against women have to be subject to urgent procedure or else they would be inefficient, Serbian Minister of Justice and Public Administration Nikola Selakovic stated on Monday. At a news conference on the necessary attention in combating violence against women in Serbia, Selakovic said that government institutions cannot fulfil their purpose without the support of citizens and the awareness of importance of reporting domestic violence. Selakovic said that the fight against the social anomaly calls for widest possible social unity, but everything starts in the family "and this is why the upbringing is crucial." "Zero-tolerance" Parliament Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic said on Monday, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, that the society must punish violent behavior more effectively so that Serbia can really become a state with the zero-tolerance approach toward violence. In a public statement, Stefanovic noted that the data on the number of abused women give a cause for concern, including the horrifying fact that women aged 15-44 are more likely to be exposed to domestic violence than suffer from cancer and experience a traffic accident. Regardless of whether it is physical, sexual, psychological or economic, violence is a reality of a great number of women, which also affects their family, primarily children, and the society as a whole, but also encourages other forms of violent behavior, Stefanovic warned. Besides the laws that Serbia has passed and will pass so as to punish all forms of violence against women, it is important to raise awareness of the problem, he underscored. "It is necessary to engage all institutions, and establish support mechanisms for victims of violence. We should all be more resolute in the fight against this plague of violence against women," Stefanovic said. Tanjug

"40 women killed in domestic violence incidents"

Speaking at a conference held in Belgrade to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Božović said that 2012 saw 32 women killed in domestic violence incidents, in 2011 the number of women victims was 29 and 20 in 2010..

She pointed out that in 2012, only two persons were handed a prison sentence between two to five years for acts of violence against women.

In that same year, she added, 64 percent of the sentences for violence against women amounted to six months in prison, 26 percent of the sentences were up to one year imprisonment, and only ten percent were between one to three years in prison.

Božović said that a total of 9,323 domestic violence victims received assistance from centers for social work in Serbia last year.

Addressing the conference participants, Police Director Milorad Veljović said in February this year, the Serbian Ministry of the Interior adopted a law enforcement protocol for handling domestic violence situations, with a special focus on victims’ protection and improvement of collection of evidence, adding that 1,300 police officers have been trained for dealing with these problems.

Veljović appealed to non-governmental organizations, state institutions and citizens to get actively involved in resolving domestic violence problems, stressing that the Interior Ministry will be a reliable partner in these efforts.

"Prompt trials"

The trials in domestic violence cases and proceedings for violence against women have to be subject to urgent procedure or else they would be inefficient, Serbian Minister of Justice and Public Administration Nikola Selaković stated on Monday.

At a news conference on the necessary attention in combating violence against women in Serbia, Selaković said that government institutions cannot fulfil their purpose without the support of citizens and the awareness of importance of reporting domestic violence.

Selaković said that the fight against the social anomaly calls for widest possible social unity, but everything starts in the family "and this is why the upbringing is crucial."

"Zero-tolerance"

Parliament Speaker Nebojša Stefanović said on Monday, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, that the society must punish violent behavior more effectively so that Serbia can really become a state with the zero-tolerance approach toward violence.

In a public statement, Stefanović noted that the data on the number of abused women give a cause for concern, including the horrifying fact that women aged 15-44 are more likely to be exposed to domestic violence than suffer from cancer and experience a traffic accident.

Regardless of whether it is physical, sexual, psychological or economic, violence is a reality of a great number of women, which also affects their family, primarily children, and the society as a whole, but also encourages other forms of violent behavior, Stefanović warned.

Besides the laws that Serbia has passed and will pass so as to punish all forms of violence against women, it is important to raise awareness of the problem, he underscored.

"It is necessary to engage all institutions, and establish support mechanisms for victims of violence. We should all be more resolute in the fight against this plague of violence against women," Stefanović said.