In Bosnia and Herzegovina, four cases of rape of minors and two attempted rapes have been reported in the past few days.
Experts point out that the number of such crimes in BiH is on the rise. BHRT has researched what penalties are provided for this type of offenders and how they deal with it, and what are the reasons for the increase in the number of such crimes.
In the last three days alone, several cases of this crime have been reported to the cantonal and entity ministries of the interior.
Emergencies such as the coronavirus pandemic can be a trigger for existing problems, but the main problem is the value system of the society in which we live, points out psychologist Daniel Malec.
“The disrupted, that is, the collapsed system of values, which we have, as well as the system of sanctions, which is in some way deficient in our country, but also beyond, are pushing those boundaries for such heinous acts to happen,” Malec believes.
However, lawyer Vlado Adamovic claims that the courts have high criteria when it comes to such crimes.
“Recently, the sentences for attempted murder and murder are 10 years, and you have had such sentences in the case of adultery with minors. And you can see that the courts are taking into account that this is really socially unacceptable and that the courts are fighting against it with high penalties, “said Adamovic.
But the court sentence is not a consolation for victims of this type of violence, experts point out, and they need psychological support.
More and more of them are knocking on the doors of safe houses. There are 8 safe houses in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which, with the support of experts, victims are helped to cope with the traumas inflicted.