Every third woman has faced physical or sexual violence at least once in her life, according to United Nations (UN) Women data. One in four girls under the age of 19 has experienced physical or sexual violence in their life from a partner or spouse.
Almost half of the women in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) have experienced some form of violence since the age of fifteen, according to the OSCE’s research on violence against women in BiH.
And how are perpetrators of domestic violence punished in BiH? Prison, fine, rehabilitation? Sometimes, yes. But, most often: suspended sentence.
What is stated in the law?
In BiH, domestic violence is regulated through entity criminal laws, laws on protection against domestic violence, as well as laws on the prohibition of discrimination.
Penalties for domestic violence range from one year for endangering the peace, physical integrity or mental health of a family member, up to three years for using a weapon for serious injury or up to five years for violence against a child or minor.
Reports and indictments for domestic violence in BiH
The Center for Women’s Rights Zenica has been monitoring the work of the judiciary for more than a decade. As Aida Cosic, a lawyer in this Center states, suspended sentences are “conditional” and considering the circumstances under which the act was committed.
Under this, she states that circumstances such as “family man”, “poor financial situation”, unemployed”, “acknowledgment of remorse and promise not to repeat a similar act” are often taken into account.
She added that, on the other hand, situations where the perpetrators of violence made “serious threats of murder or serious injury to both the woman – the injured party and the children, or situations when children are present at the act of violence” are not taken into account.
“If sufficient attention were paid to the consideration of the aforementioned circumstances, there would be a foundation for aggravating circumstances that could ultimately affect the imposition of a more severe criminal sanction.”
There are eight safe houses on the territory of BiH with a total of 200 available places for women and children victims of violence. Safe houses are located in Sarajevo, Tuzla, Bihac, Zenica, Mostar, Modrica, Banja Luka, and Bijeljina, Slobodna Evropa reports.
E.Dz.
