Working with victims and Working with victims and survivors of armed violencesurvivors of armed violence

Jasmina NikolićJasmina Nikolić

Victimology Sociey of SerbiaVictimology Sociey of Serbia

About VDSAbout VDS A A not-for-profit, non-governmentalnot-for-profit, non-governmental organization,  organization, 

founded in 1997founded in 1997 to unite academics and to unite academics and professionals interested in victimology and professionals interested in victimology and protection of victims of crime, human rights protection of victims of crime, human rights violations and war, regardless of genderviolations and war, regardless of gender, , religion, ethnicity and other features. religion, ethnicity and other features.

TThree main hree main typestypesof activities: of activities: info and support to victims, info and support to victims, research and education research and education Truth and reconciliation program. Truth and reconciliation program.

VDS info and victim supportVDS info and victim support

Established in 2003, the Service aims to support Established in 2003, the Service aims to support victims of crime. Services offered to both female victims of crime. Services offered to both female and male victims of crime include:and male victims of crime include:

information about victims’ rights and how to information about victims’ rights and how to realize them,realize them,

emotional support,emotional support, referrals to other services depending on victim’s referrals to other services depending on victim’s

needsneeds witness supportwitness support and legal aid and legal aid..

VDS info and victim supportVDS info and victim support

TheThe only service of only service of its its type in Serbia, type in Serbia, providprovidinging assistance and support to assistance and support to victimvictimss of crime regardless of gender, age, of crime regardless of gender, age, form of violence or any other personal form of violence or any other personal characteristics.characteristics.

In recent years most victims approached In recent years most victims approached service with problems of domestic violence service with problems of domestic violence and violence and violence at the at the workplaceworkplace

Femicide in SerbiaFemicide in Serbia

The newspapers articles collected and The newspapers articles collected and analyzed by Women against Violence analyzed by Women against Violence Network show that in 2013, 43 women Network show that in 2013, 43 women were murdered in Serbia.were murdered in Serbia.

Femicide in SerbiaFemicide in Serbia

Number of women Number of women murderedmurdered

Murdered by gun Murdered by gun

20132013 4343 12 (27,9%)12 (27,9%)

20122012 3232 9 (28,1)9 (28,1)

20112011 2929 9 (31%)9 (31%)

20102010 2626 7 (26,9%)7 (26,9%)

Femicide in SerbiaFemicide in Serbia

FFemicide usually happens in a emicide usually happens in a home home and and a third a third of of women were killed by firearms women were killed by firearms

HHome ownership of weapons is connected ome ownership of weapons is connected to militarization Serbia in the 90s as well to militarization Serbia in the 90s as well as the demilitarization which took place as the demilitarization which took place after conflict cessation.after conflict cessation.

Femicide in SerbiaFemicide in Serbia

GGununss located at home located at home are often are often used to used to make threats or to physically harm family make threats or to physically harm family members. members.

The trauma inflicted by threats of using the The trauma inflicted by threats of using the gun or death threats reduced the women’s gun or death threats reduced the women’s capacity of resistance.capacity of resistance.

Femicide in SerbiaFemicide in Serbia

In 3 out 11 cases where the perpetrator owned In 3 out 11 cases where the perpetrator owned firearms, firearms, the women had reported the women had reported violence prior violence prior to the murder. to the murder.

This shows This shows that those women were not that those women were not protected adequately and that the relevant protected adequately and that the relevant institution were inefficient and ineffective, or that institution were inefficient and ineffective, or that the relevant institutions failed to react at all.the relevant institutions failed to react at all.

Aftermath of femicideAftermath of femicide

Violence leave many consequences on those Violence leave many consequences on those who are indirectly exposed to it as well. who are indirectly exposed to it as well. Indicators of suffering, pain and human misery Indicators of suffering, pain and human misery for those who suffer violence directly or for those who suffer violence directly or indirectly, are impossible to measure. indirectly, are impossible to measure.

Out of the 38 people who lost their mother in Out of the 38 people who lost their mother in 2013,2013, 22 were minors. Analys22 were minors. Analysiis of media data s of media data shows that there is growing trend of children shows that there is growing trend of children witnessing the murder of their mother or witnessing the murder of their mother or grandmother.grandmother.

Support for victims in SerbiaSupport for victims in Serbia

Our legal and health systems Our legal and health systems recognizerecognize and and supportsupport the victims of domestic violence, the victims of domestic violence, trafficking in people, robbery, human rights trafficking in people, robbery, human rights violation etc. violation etc.

But the But the relatives and/or friends of the victims of relatives and/or friends of the victims of homicide or trafic accidents are “hidden homicide or trafic accidents are “hidden victims”.”victims”.”

VVictim support professionals feel a ictim support professionals feel a strong strong need need to develop their to develop their basic basic knowledge so they are to knowledge so they are to support the needs of support the needs of these these victims and familvictims and families.ies.

RecommendationsRecommendations

Strong control of arms in cases of Strong control of arms in cases of domestic violence in order to prevent domestic violence in order to prevent femicidefemicide

Training for professionals dealing with Training for professionals dealing with survivors and victims of armed violencesurvivors and victims of armed violence

Victimology Society of SerbiaVictimology Society of Serbia www.vds.org.rs E-mail: E-mail: vds@eunet.rs

vdsrbija@gmail.com