The Women’s Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued a statement regarding the recent murder of a woman, warning of serious institutional failures and demanding the consistent implementation of protective measures in cases of violence against women. The statement notes that, according to media reports, the woman had previously reported threats and intimidation, that a restraining order had been issued against the killer, and that the murder was committed with a service weaponin front of a minor child.
The Women’s Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina claimed that a clear response from the competent authorities was lacking, even though, as they stated, there were serious indicators of high risk.
“Report It, and We Will Act”
The statement emphasizes that a restraining order is insufficient in practice without active supervision and a swift system response.
“There is no mechanism for active supervision or a comprehensive approach: there is no technological monitoring system, nor an adequate real-time response in cases of measure violations,” stated the Women’s Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
They specifically warned of a passive model of institutional response that only acts after a report that a restraining order has been breached.
“Report it, and we will act”‘, they noted, pointing out that in cases of violence against women, risk assessments are often not conducted, nor is the question of whether it involves a potentially high-risk offender raised in a timely manner.”
Demanding Answers from Authorities
The statement poses a series of questions to the institutions, including whether a risk assessment was performed and whether the authorities recognized the danger of femicide.
The Women’s Network reminds that, according to available information, the indicators were present: possession of weapons, death threats, controlling and obsessive behavior, previous violence, as well as the context of jealousy or the termination of a relationship.
They also ask whether the killer’s employer had been informed that restraining orders had been issued against him and whether they were aware of the risk the employee posed to his ex-wife’s life.
“ZERO tolerance for violence against women,” they declared, stating it is incomprehensible that a person, despite a restraining order, was still permitted to use a service weapon.
Warning of the Absence of Urgent Measures
The Women’s Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina points out that in systems that treat the high risk of femicide seriously, additional urgent measures such as detention and electronic monitoring are introduced alongside restraining orders. They noted that such a system practically does not exist in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“In our system, not a single tracking bracelet has been purchased to date, nor is there a protocol, a system, or apparently the will of the authorities to do anything regarding this issue,” they warned. The statement adds that the life of a woman in Bosnia and Herzegovina is apparently less important than investing in systems for monitoring traffic violations and surveillance of citizens.
The Women’s Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina concludes that the safety of women begins long before the act of violence – in recognizing risk, and in the knowledge and determination of the system to react in time.
“A woman must be trusted. The system must change. A consistent and comprehensive risk assessment MUST be conducted,” the statement says.
The Women’s Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the murdered woman, with the message that protecting women from violence cannot remain a merely declarative obligation but must become a real and effective practice of the institutions.
