International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

In memory of the tragic death of three political activists, the Mirabal sisters, who were executed by the dictatorial regime in the Dominican Republic in 1960, 25 November is observed as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation see violence against women as a social problem and not as a private problem of an individual, so it is the task of society to recognize the bully in the environment and report it so that the system can process it faster and sanction it more severely.

Only a synergy between society and the system can bring positive results in the fight against this serious problem that concerns women's lives.

To this end, a Working Group was established in September 2022, with the task to improve the overall legislative framework for combating violence against women, comprising inter alia representatives of civil society organisations, academia, the State Attorney's Office and the courts.

The results of the the Working Group are visible through amendments to the package of laws consisting of the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Act and the Protection against Domestic Violence Act.

In relation to the amendments to the Criminal Code, two important novelties stand out - the introduction of a new criminal offence of serious murder of a female person, the so-called femicide, and the definition of gender-based violence in the general provisions of the Act.

Femicide does not have a limitation period and is punishable by a term of imprisonment ranging from 10 years to long-term sentences, and sentences for rape and serious crimes against sexual freedom were also increased.

Amendments to the Protection against Domestic Violence Act introduced more severe penalties for domestic violence, pre-trial detention in case of violation of precautionary measures, harmonisation of the rights of victims in misdemeanour proceedings with the rights of victims in criminal proceedings, and a minimum distance of 100 meters in the protective measure of a restraining order.
 
Institutional bodies and civil society as a single victim support system

The victim and witness support system in the Republic of Croatia is one of the few in Europe which combine institutional assistance with the support provided by civil society.

Institutional assistance is provided by the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation as well as at 14 county courts in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Bjelovar, Karlovac, Pula, Sisak, Slavonski Brod, Šibenik, Varaždin, Vukovar, Zadar and Velika Gorica, as well as the Municipal Court in Split.

It is also planned to establish a victim and witness support department at the Dubrovnik County Court and the Zagreb Municipal Criminal Court, so that, together with the work of member organisations of the Network of Support and Cooperation for Victims and Witnesses of Criminal Offences, the entire territory of Croatia will be covered.

The Victim and Witness Support Departments in courts support around 3,300 victims and witnesses per year.
 
Joint action by government services and civil society organisations provides comprehensive assistance to victims

The Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation has initiated and financed the work of the Network of Support and Cooperation for Victims and Witnesses of Criminal Offences, which consists of 10 civil society organisations and is coordinated by the Women's Room - Center for Victims of Sexual Violence. The organisations provide support to victims in 17 Croatian counties.

Through the programme of the Network, victims are provided services such as accompaniment by a person of trust to the courts, the police, state attorney’s offices and other institutions, information on rights, emotional support and practical and technical information, as well as legal and psychological assistance, by telephone, email or in person, and telephone counselling from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Since 2017, a total of over €2.5 million has been allocated for the operation of the Network, including a pilot project.

Together with the funds allocated to the National Call Centre - 116 006, the Ministry has so far allocated a total of 2,809,254.00 euros from the lottery revenue to civil society organisations.

Change starts with a call

The National Call Centre for Victims of Crime was established in 2013 in cooperation with the Victim and Witness Support Servuce Croatia, the Ministry of Justice and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), making Croatia the fifth European country to introduce a standard helpline for victim and witness support 116-006.

Since 2020, the line 116-006 has been available 24/7, free of charge and anonymously for all victims and witnesses.  
 
 
 
 

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