No woman or girl should remain silent and endure violence, but she must be sure that she will be heard when she calls for help, that she will not be judged and belittled, and above all that she will not be alone. That’s why everyone in the system of protection and prevention must understand the position of the victim and show a professional and human commitment to provide absolute support and help, emphasized the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of the global campaign “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence “.

Practice shows that women still do not feel safe enough to report violence, the Commissioner said, and pointed out that much more needs to be done to remove visible, but also invisible obstacles that prevent them from doing so. Research by the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality showed that the main reasons why women do not report domestic violence are fear of abusers, shame due to experienced violence, fear of condemnation from those close to them, unfavorable economic situation and mistrust of institutions. What would encourage them is the support of family and friends, institutions, as well as financial support, especially after the crucial step of leaving an abusive partner.

At the gathering on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, organized by the Faculty of Law in Belgrade, Janković reminded that Serbia was among the first to ratify this convention, clearly recognizing the problem of violence against women and defining it as the flagrant violation of human rights and a form of discrimination.

The Commissioner stated that gender-based violence is a consequence of prejudices that affect not only the behavior of women victims of violence and their environment, but also the work of employees in bodies that are responsible for the protection and implementation of the law. The more aware we are of that influence, the less space we leave for such attitudes and assumptions to creep into the process of drafting and applying laws and making legal decisions and in working with victims of violence, she added. Only united can we succeed in combating violence against women by improving efficiency in prevention, support and application of laws to protect against violence, concluded Janković. The expert meeting was opened by the newly elected dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr. Bojan Milisavljević, and Professor Ivana Krstić.