Coordinator of the SOS service of the Organization …IZ KRUGA – VOJVODINA Ivana Zelic, participated in the webinar that was held on June 30, 2020. Ivana Zelic spoke about violence against women with and without disabilities during the coronavirus pandemic, the challenges faced by women with disabilities during isolation, the way the Organization works during the state of emergency and the provision of individual psychological support and legal assistance. The organizer of the webinar is the Provincial Protector of Citizens – Ombudsman, and the topic of the organized meeting is Violence against women in a state of emergency.
The webinar of the Provincial Protector of Citizens was held in order to exchange experiences of representatives of competent institutions and NGOs in the fight against domestic violence and partnerships during the pandemic of the COVID 19 virus. The webinar also discussed the implementation of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, availability and provision different types of services and measures to help support victims of domestic violence and partner relationships in the state of emergency.
Crisis situations, such as the COVID 19 pandemic, increase the risk of domestic violence and partnerships, and women and children are particularly vulnerable to abuse. People who experience domestic violence are forced to stay in their home with the abuser, isolated from other people. Such conditions allow for increased control of the victim by the perpetrator and make it difficult for the victim to leave.
At the meeting it was pointed out that during the period of emergency has decreased the number of entries institutions to domestic violence, but that was the increased number of calls on non-governmental organizations through the SOS phone. NGOs adapted more easily to emerging opportunities, responded quickly, and were generally available 24 hours a day.
In addition to the Deputy Provincial Ombudsman for Gender Equality Snezana Knezevic, the conference was attended by: the coordinator of the SOS service for women with experience of domestic violence Ivana Zelic, a judge of the Basic Court in Novi Sad Danijela Vemic, professor at the Faculty of Law in Nis and a representative of the Women’s Research Center prof. Dr. Nevena Petrusic, Coordinator for Combating Violence against Women at the UNDP Maja Brankovic Djundic, graduated social worker from the Center for Social Work Stara Pazova Radmila Stojanovic, coordinator of the Safe Women’s House in Novi Sad Dr. Nada Padejski Sekerovic, coordinator of the Safe Women’s House in Sombor Tamara Savovic, representative of the SOS Women’s Center in Novi Sad Ivana Peric, representative of the Association of Roma Novi Becej Vesna Cerimovic and scientific advisor of the Institute of Social Sciences, Dr. Zorica Mrsevic.
