Red shoes in front of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, May 18th, 2017. Photographer Marija Janković
By setting over 100 pairs of women's shoes on the Republic Square, on December 6th, 2017., at 3PM, the Women against Violence Network and Women in Black draw attention to the most brutal form of male violence against women: femicide (murder of women just because they are women). Tomorrow, the anniversary of the Montreal massacre will be celebrated around the world with the demand that the murders motivated by hatred towards women be stopped.
Although the campaign of 16 days of activism against violence towards women began with the promises of the Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans' and Social Affairs and the Mayor of Belgrade to support and protect the women who are experiencing violence, the SOS support phone did not begin to work and adequate protection for the woman M.S. (46) who reported violence to institutions in Zemun Polje was not provided. Traffic police M.J. killed his wife, M.S., the day before yesterday, supposedly firing from his service pistol. The media report that the woman reported violence to the police multiple times. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is obliged to examine the police in detail in this case, taking into account that the perpetrator of the murder was employed in this institution. Once again, the question is raised as to how the police are dealing with perpetrators in their own ranks and who can the wives of police officers turn to if they’re experiencing violence?
From the beginning of the year up until now, at least 24 women have been killed in a family-partnership context. All of the women knew the perpetrator, of which most of – 21 - were killed by partners (current/former, married/extra-marital). In ten cases out of a total of 24 femicides, violence was reported to one of the institutions. This statistics is the same from year to year, which means that the efforts that have been invested continue to be insignificant and fail to reduce the number of femicides in Serbia and prevent women from realizing their right to life without violence and fear of violence. Responsible action of institutions in every reported case of violence and support of the community for women can contribute to reduced femicide in Serbia.
On behalf of the Women against Violence Network
Vedrana Lacmanović and Aleksandra Nestorov