Montenegrin society is largely tolerant of violence, and the state should tighten its penal policy, because with mild punishments it sends the message to victims that it is not ready to protect them, according to the panel discussion of the LGBTIQ association Kvir Montenegro. The representative of the Center for Women's Rights, Ana Jaredić, said at the panel discussion "Together against violence", which started Pride Week as part of Montenegro Pride, that Montenegrin society is highly tolerant of violence, and because of this, as she pointed out, it is constantly to send the message that every being is equally important and that the responsibility for violence lies solely with the abuser. "People often do not recognize some forms of violence at all, and for some, even when they do recognize them, they find justification and thus shift the focus to the victim. That is why it is necessary to constantly draw attention to the fact that violence is solely driven by the need to impose power and control over another person," said Jaredić. She said that with a mild criminal policy and poor quality of protection, victims are being sent a message that, as she added, society is not ready to protect them. "Or worse, we send women the message, which they have heard from abusers for years, that they are less valuable and do not deserve protection," Jaredić said. She added that Montenegro, as a country, must take a clear position regarding respect for laws and conventions, which, as she said, she signed herself. "The state must enable all its citizens to enjoy basic human rights," said Jaredić.
Bjeković: A need, not a must The Deputy Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, Siniša Bjeković, said that the phenomenon of violence is very present in Montenegro, noting that this phenomenon means any neglect, especially of people who are in a state of need. "A large number of such cases happen to us, but we, as ordinary citizens, turn our heads away from such violence and do not deal with it in an appropriate way. This is perhaps the biggest problem of Montenegrin society", said Bjeković. As he explained, the LGBT community in Montenegro was faced with neglect, but also with the crudest forms of physical attacks. "There are certainly psychological or psychological pressures that are most often promoted through social networks. We had the problem of recognizing that part of the violence as just as socially dangerous as any other type of violence that happens on the streets and in direct contact between bullies and vulnerable groups," explained Bjeković. The matrix of behavior, as he explained, occurs at an early age, when children imitate what happens in the environment and create their own code of behavior for the future. "The fight against violence cannot be carried out until we become adults. If we don't start working with the full conviction that we really need to do it, and not with the conviction that we have to do it, I think it will be too late for many things," said Bjeković. He added that it is necessary to reject any matrix of behavior that is contrary to elementary, human, civilizational values.
Kalezić: Violence is normalized The President of the Management Board of the Kvir Montenegro Association, Danijel Kalezić, reminded that the concept of Montenegro Pride, which will be held on Saturday, is for everyone to raise their voices against violence together. "Violence is completely normalized in Montenegro and violence is not only suffered by us who are lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans or inter persons, but women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), members of the Roma community also face violence," he said. Kalezic. He reminded that the Prosecutor's Office treats a fight in a bar exactly the same as when someone physically assaults a person from the LGBT community out of the blue. "In order for changes to happen, the most important thing is that we all work on it together, that we as individuals and society change in our daily lives and that we understand that our negative treatment of anyone affects the lives of others," said Kalezić.
Ivanovic: This society lives in the lie that it is very humane
Coordinator of the Legal Program and Anti-Discrimination in the Association of Disabled Youth of Montenegro (UMHCG), Miroslava Ivanović, said that there is no PWD in Montenegro who has not suffered and does not suffer violence. "There is psychological, emotional, physical violence, which most often starts in the family, which, due to the lack of support from the system, is left to fend for itself and has to assume, not only the role of the family, but also the system, which should provide many support services" , Ivanovic said. According to her, Montenegrin society "wants to live in the lie that it is very humane". "It suits us as a society that PWDs and other vulnerable groups remain vulnerable so that we can show how humane we are. Or on the other hand, in order to treat some of their personal, psychological problems on those people," said Ivanovic. She believes that the state must educate staff in the educational, health, social protection and judicial systems, to, as she said, sanction abusers. "I hope that the state will finally work on establishing support services that will be accessible to PWDs and that will ensure their full safety and protection after reporting violence," Ivanovic said.
Petrović: They teach girls that they just need to become mothers and get married as soon as possible The executive director of the Montenegrin Women's Lobby, Aida Petrović, said that members of the Roma population face "extreme poverty combined with discrimination". "Progress has been made, but not to the extent presented. After the discrimination, I would point out the lack of education of many Roma boys, especially girls, and the fear in which the Roma are, that they will be branded, which unfortunately they are," said Petrović. She pointed out that Roma girls who are victims of early marriage or arranged marriages suffer various forms of violence. "These forms of violence in the Roma community and in the entire society are, in most cases, accepted as normal. "Girls are taught that their role in life is to become mothers as early as possible and to get married as early as possible," said Petrović. Roma women in the Roma community, she added, are marginalized in many ways. "She was marginalized as a woman, as a Roma woman, as an uneducated person, if in addition to that she was shunned, as a woman she was shunned. Roma men and women are one of the most marginalized social groups and are very often discriminated against and cannot exercise their rights," said Petrović.
Bonus video:
