Homicides in the context of intimate partner violence in Serbia: Manifestations and victim protection

• Published in: Temida Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 375 - 400
• Main Author: Marković Saša M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Victimology Society of Serbia and University of Belgrade, Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation 01.01.2024
• Subjects: deprivation of life; femicide; intimate partners; perpetrator; victim; violence
• ISSN: 1450-6637; 2406-0941
• DOI: 10.2298/TEM2403375M

The paper focuses on instances of homicide in intimate partner relationships and the measures taken by competent institutions to protect victims in the Republic of Serbia. The paper aims to present the results of the conducted research and to contextualise intimate partner violence, as well as to determine the presence of intimate femicide in Serbia. Following the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, as well as the adoption and implementation of the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence, the competent authorities are under the obligation to act proactively, that is, acting towards the source of the problem even before an incident, i.e. an act of violence occurs. Applying the precrime concept, i.e. assessing the risk of domestic violence has become an obligation of the police. The paper presents the results of research done in 2023 that included reported occurrences of partner violence in Serbia in the period from 2018 to 2022, in which an emotional partner was deprived of life. The research focused on the manifestations of homicide, perpetrators and victims, manner of execution, the means of perpetration, suicides committed by the perpetrators of murders, as well as actions of the police and judicial authorities when violence was reported in the previous period. The results of the research show that the perpetrators of homicide in partner relationships are most frequently men, while the victims are most often women; homicide is most commonly committed after the termination of an emotional relationship using a sharp object or firearms, and 46% of the perpetrators in homicide cases decide to commit suicide. Murders are usually preceded by a threat, as well as long-term violence that the victim frequently fails to report to the competent authorities. To analyse the actions of the competent institutions operating within coordination and cooperation groups, a case of femicide is described that occurred after years of intimate partner violence. In the presented case, the victim was deprived of her life by an emotional partner, whom she had previously repeatedly reported for violence and stalking. At the end of the paper, the author concludes that trust in the police, judicial authorities and social work centres cannot be built unless, upon becoming aware of the threat of domestic violence, timely, appropriate, efficient and comprehensive protection of the victims is ensured.