PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Abstract

Domestic violence, not only in the Republic of Serbia but in other legal systems as well, is a dangerous criminal offence amongst crime violence which is going on between close relatives. Therefore, in addition to the system of criminal sanctions, various measures of preventive characters are applied more and more often against persons committing violence, in prevention of this dangerous social evil. Their goal is to prevent domestic violence in general or its recommission. Similar situation is in the Republic of Serbia where a special law has been applied since 2016.With the aim of taking organized and systematic activities of different social subjects, especially state organs to prevent and combat (repress) domestic violence or violence in relationships in the Republic of Serbia, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted in 2011 a “National strategy to prevent and combat violence over women in families and relationships”. This strategy is an expression of the RS Government’s resoluteness to protect women from domestic violence and relationships in advance, complying with international standards and acts on the protection of fundamental human rights - by providing support to all the subjects in their activities to prevent and combat these forms of violence. This way, the Strategy encourages application of international and domestic legal norms and standards protecting human rights, promoting gender equality and prohibiting any form of domestic or relationship violence against women, as form of violence which mostly affects women. This Strategy confirms inclusion of the Republic of Serbia into joint activities of the Council of Europe and the European Union, having the aim to raise social consciousness about the problem of domestic violence against women and forming of realistic assumptions for efficient prevention of these forms of violence. The essence of this Strategy are conclusions reached at the National Conference on combat against violence against women, held in 2007 as part of the Council of Europe’s campaign for the combating against all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence.The Strategy of the Republic of Serbia pays special attention to the group of women who are exposed (or potentially might be exposed) to multiple discrimination, as vulnerable groups of women, like women with disabilities, Roma women, mothers of disabled children, handicapped women or women with chronical diseases, women from the villages, older women, refugees or displaced women etc. This Strategy especially took into account a Recommendation of the Council of Europe 1905 (2010) on the necessity to protect children who witness domestic violence, adopted in March 2010, which leans on the Declaration of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 1714 (2010) on Children who witness domestic violence.