AWC’s independent monitoring of the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence for the period July-December 2018, has confirmed earlier statements concerning the stabilization of procedures of responsible institutions in this field.  On average, 1572 of restraining orders and 689 eviction orders are issued monthly, while 663 persons receive both measures. The sex of persons against whom these measures are issued confirm well-known data – men receive them in 85% and women in 15% of cases. Data on the sex of persons who receive both urgent measures is also expected – men in 90% of cases and women in 10% of cases, which indirectly indicates that men commit more aggravated acts of domestic violence.

The Regulation on Protection against Sexual Harassment and Extortion of the Faculty of Law – Union University in Belgrade, came into effect last week. This is the second faculty in Serbia (besides the Faculty of Political Sciences – University of Belgrade) that has taken steps to improve the protection of employees and students from sexual harassment by adopting a separate internal act addressing this issue. This document defines the terms “sexual harassment” and “extortion”, bans such behavior and determines measures of prevention and steps in the protection from sexual harassment, with the aim of promoting academic freedoms, equal opportunities, and respect of the integrity and dignity of all participants in the process of higher education.

Based on international documents and twenty-five years of experience of working with women and children victims of domestic, intimate partner and sexual violence, the Autonomous Women’s Center submitted to the Ministry of Justice its comments on the working text of the National Strategy on the Rights of Victims and Witnesses of Crime for the period from 2019 to 2025.