SOS phones don’t stop ringing, and women are asking for help, support for themselves and their children, and asking about the procedure for leaving the abuser and moving them to a safe house.
This was confirmed by representatives from all eight safe houses in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), three in the Republika Srpska (RS) entity and five in the Federation of BiH (FBiH).
Everything is happening sixteen days after Nizama Hecimovicwas killed in Gradacac, in the north of BiH, whose murder was broadcast live on Instagram by her partner.
“In the last two days, we took care of eight people, three women and five children. Protective measures are imposed immediately, never faster, in less than 24 hours,” Sabiha Husic, director of the Medica association from Zenica, said yesterday.
And in the safe house in Banja Luka, the number of women who requested protection has increased in the last few days.
According to data from the Agency for Gender Equality of BiH, which collected data from judicial institutions and non-governmental organizations, more than 60 women have been killed in BiH since 2015.
Increased number of reports of abuse since the beginning of the year
Only in Bijeljina, in the northeast of BiH, from the beginning of the year until today, the number of safe house users has doubled compared to the previous one, according to the data of the “Lara” Foundation, Bijeljina. The situation is similar in other safe houses in BiH.
Citizens of BiH can report violence or any form of abuse to the SOS telephone number 033 222 000 or to 1265 in the FBiH and 1264 in the RS, Radio Slobodna Evropa reports.
E.Dz.
