Each of the 28 women killed in domestic and partner violence this year has warned that the least work has been done in the area of prevention of violence against women, despite measures and full implementation of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, which has improved the protection system, said Commissioner for Protection of Equality Brankica Jankovic on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

It is a fact that in some cases the competent authorities did not react in a timely manner and the authorities in the protection chain did not cooperate adequately, emphasizes Commissioner, adding that acting of the employees in the health care system, increasing the number of professionals in centers for social work and improving of national SOS line services for women victims of violence are of great importance.

She also stressed that women victims of violence have been suffering for years and cannot leave the abuser because they are not financially provided and when they eventually leave they don’t have financial support. That is why women’s empowerment should not be a declarative phrase, but we must help them, as a society, through various support services – from the job they need to the psychological support which is sometimes the most important, Jankovic said.

Commissioner says that violence against women is discussed at various rallies, different actions are organized, condemns are numerous and frequent, but violence is being repeated, with increasing brutality cruelty, as evidenced daily in media articles. However, some media reports are still scandalous, using the words and expressions that influence the justification of the crime, while dignity and privacy of the victim are still violated. The murder of a woman is not “love with a tragic end,” and a violent criminal is not “domestic man turned monster.” Particular problem is the presentation of details, testimonies, speculations and assumptions, where almost as by rule, jealousy, as a motive for violence, is interpreted as evidence of love, thus indirectly creating an atmosphere of understanding for the abusers.

First and foremost, the media must be aware that public curiosity cannot be above the public interest, which is a clear and unambiguous condemnation of the crime, the Commissioner concludes, noting that the Commissioner for Equality Protection will continue to point to the major problem of domestic and partner violence at its root discrimination against women.