AGENCY FOR STATISTICS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

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• AGENCY FOR STATISTICS OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
• 27-29 Geneva
• Switzerland

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Is violence against woman measured in your
country?

• Violence against women in BiH and especially
  violence in the family especially in a family
  community is deeply rooted and widely spread
  social problem. Behind the facade of civilization
  and modern life, BiH is deeply traditional and
  patriarchal society. This is a problem that is
  ignored and about which little is known. The
  problem of violence against women should be seen
  in the fact that the BiH society is exposed to
  strong militarization as a consequence of the
  last war. The position of women is further worsen
  by post-war transition processes that mostly
  control and lead men. Studies show a general lack
  of support and understanding of women victims of
  domestic violence. Traditional prejudices held
  opinion that this form of violence is a private
  matter in which the state should not interfere.

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• The problem is minimized at all levels, and there
  is a strong societal perception that women are
  the one that causes tension in the family or
  relationships, and that therefore she is usually
  accused that she caused it and that she deserves
  the violence that had happened to her. women are
  expected to remain silent about violence because
  it is her shame and failure. The State has not
  created a system that would provide support to
  victims and facilitate the search and obtainin
  the adequate assistance in such matter.

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• The factual situation
• The factual situation regarding violence against
  women is as follows Special surveys and studies
  on this issue at the state level do not exist.
  Reports of NGOs alrmely talk about increasing the
  number of victims. The disturbing fact is that
  the state does not collect data on violence
  against women. There is not any official
  statistics on the state or entity level, or
  appropriate professional research or analysis of
  this problem. State agencies which often have
  first contact with the victim such as police,
  social work centers and the courts neither
  collect data or report on this issue. Unofficial
  data on the number of women victims of violence
  exist only as part of the evidence of
  non-governmental organizations about the clients
  that have requested assistance from them, but
  even they do not have data on the number of the
  entity or state level, because until now there
  was no requirement to carry out more extensive
  research.

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• The legal situation
• The state did not take effective legal,
  preventive or protective measures to enable women
  as well as men to enjoy the basic human right to
  live without violence. The new Criminal Code of
  Bosnia and Herzegovina contains no provisions
  concerning the protection of women and girls from
  violence and domestic violence. The Law on Gender
  Equality and the Law on the Prohibition of
  Domestic Violence of BiH provides a good basis
  for their implementation, but unfortunately the
  reality is not quite so. Entity laws governing
  domestic violence as a criminal offense and
  sanction it, but examples from around the country
  show that these provisions do not provide
  effective protection from violence and they don
  not consistently apply. Criminal Code of RS
  domestic violence treats as a criminal act.

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• This crime, if it did not cause serious
  consequence, punishable by fine or imprisonment
  not exceeding two years. NGOs believe that these
  efforts are of little impact on reducing levels
  of domestic violence and violence against women.
  The legal situation in the Federation of BiH is
  similar.

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• Preventive measures
• In both entities the disparity is very visible
  between the number of reported cases of domestic
  violence and violence against women and those who
  came to court. The reasons are caused by the
  tradition and patriarchal values. Studies show an
  inadequate response of the police or other state
  institutions, even when lives are in danger of
  victims of violence. Women usually have no place
  to go after they have been abused so in many
  cases they keep living with the abuser. NGOs are
  trying to give at least some short-term
  assistance to victims of domestic violence and
  violence commited against women through its
  services. But for now, throughout the country
  there are few shelters for victims of violence
  within the NGOs. There are temporary shelter for
  women and children victims of violence who are,
  unfortunately, a small capacity and temporary.

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What methodology was used to measure violence
against women? Give examples of recent studies/or
surveys laborated in your country on violence
against women.

• There was no concrete methodology used to measure
  violence against women in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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Does your statistical office plan to measure
violence against women in the upcoming years?

• The Agency for statistics of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina is in upcoming period planning to
  measure violence against women.