The massacre in Žitište near Zrenjanin, as well as the murder of a woman in the village of Drenovac near Knjaževac in less that 24 hours are the last alarm to all competent services and authorities to react urgently in order that the adequate and timely measures would be taken to prevent partner violence which ever too frequently has fatal outcome, the Commissioner for Protection of Equality, Ms Brankica Janković, has warned.

The latest ghastly events are only reminder that this is one of the burning issues in our society and that combating the violence against women must encompass the efficient prevention of tragic outcomes and improvement of awareness and value systems, i.e. models of mutual relations which implicitly imply that a woman should keep silent and suffer if she wants to save her dear life, the Commissioner points out.

It is important to emphasize once again that media also have responsibility in prevention of gender- based violence, which is why it is necessary to stop reporting and broadcasting programmes in which women are disparaged, discriminated and placed at a disadvantage. When the tragedy happens, certain media, regrettably, report on events in a sensationalist and in every sense inadequate manner.

The Commissioner Janković calls on all active participants in the society and all competent bodies – from Social work centres to the police, prosecution and courts, but also the media and all citizens to demonstrate the maximum degree of responsibility in order to promptly halt domestic violence against women and partnership violence.