The services of the first and only Counseling Center for women victims of violence in the north of the country are currently used by 10 women, and last year by as many as 80 women. Each of them continues to suffer violence.
This is claimed by the NGO "Polygon for Women's Excellence Sofia", which manages this counseling center in Berane. In order for the victim to get out of the vicious cycle of violence, they say, not only their support, but also the system's support is sufficient.
However, they are only the first step in changing the fate of the victims. When they move on to institutions, they often run into a wall.
Rebeka Čilović, activist of the NGO "Polygon for Women's Excellence Sofia", answers the following question:
"I couldn't say which of those three institutions is the strongest in this negative sense, but when you look at all the women and the situations we had here, then you will see that insensitive people actually work in these institutions".
Or maybe thugs?
"Very often. Very often chauvinists, sexists who actually can't wait to see such a victim, so that her self-confidence suffers even more," answers Čilović.
In addition to institutions, Čilović explains that often the environment in which some types of violence are almost normalized further victimizes the victim and absolves the perpetrator.
And until these things change, and the authorities dare to properly protect the victims, it will be difficult to put an end to the violence.
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