Associates of the SOS service of IZ KRUGA VOJVODINA provided 85 services from July 1 to September 30, 2022. for 21 beneficiaries (8 of them addressed the SOS for the first time), 62 specialized SOS support consultant’s services, 13 individual psychological support and 10 consultations with a lawyer.
The highest percentage of services was via phone conversations (70%), followed by messages via Viber, Instagram, e-mail and SMS (17%), and personal visits to the premises of the Organization (13).
Out of 62 specialized SOS support consultant services, 19 were providing information (about the procedures for reporting violence and acting of the relevant institutions for protection from domestic violence, the process for getting custody of a minor child, divorce procedures and the division of property of the spouses). In addition to informing services, 17 services of empowering women were provided (psychological support for anxiety, depression, lack of confidence while devising a safety plan for getting out of violence, court procedures for property divisions, avoiding alimentation and acquiring custody of a minor). 14 consultant services were scheduling psychological support and 12 referrals to other services, institutions and NGOs for protection from domestic violence (police, Center for Social Work, Women’s Safe House, Biro for Free Legal Help, Province’s Ombudsman, Autonomous Women’s Center, Association of Roma Women Osvit and Girl’s Center from Nis). 10 services provided were legal consultations with a counselor (property division between spouses, avoiding alimentation in the case of domestic violence, divorce, determination of a temporary measure for the independent exercise of parental rights and implementing measures of corrective supervision).
Among women that received the help of the SOS service of IZ KRUGA VOJVODINA in the third trimester of 2022, 6 were women with some type of disability (physical disability and chronic illness), and 15 were with no disability. Women that addressed the service for support were of different age groups, the youngest being 23 and the oldest 78. Women from urban areas (16) turned to the SOS support service more often than women from rural areas (5). Beneficiaries called the SOS service from Novi Sad, Belgrade, Leskovac, Stara Pazova, Smederevo, Nis and from rural areas Crvenka, Sirig, Cortanovci, Futog and Vojvoda Stepa.
Women were mostly exposed to psychological violence (19), followed by physical (12), and other forms of violence (isolation, control and persecution). Perpetrators of violence are often spouses, ex-spouses, partners, parents, children, siblings, neighbors, employers and other family members (step-father).
Women exposed to violence most often addressed the service by themselves, solely 3 calls were on behalf of women exposed to violence (adult daughter for her mother, associates from other organizations and institutions for a woman with a disability exposed to violence).
The work of the SOS service of IZ KRUGA VOJVODINA in the third trimester is supported by Mama Cash and Reconstruction Women’s Fund.
Photo: Pixabay
