Coordinator of the SOS helpline of …IZ KRUGA – VOJVODINA, Ivana Zelic, talked at the tribune What should a Victim of Violence do – types of help and support for victims. The Women’s Safe House with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs of the USA Embassy in the Republic of Serbia, organized the tribune.
It was held for psychology, law, social work and media studies students on November 30, 2021. within the Campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. The aim of the tribune was sensitization of the future professionals for recognizing violence and familiarizing with the work of competent services for protection from domestic violence.
Over 60 students had a chance to attend presentations of 11 representatives of institutions and organizations that provide support and help for women survivors of violence.
Ivana Zelic spoke about the role of women NGOs and their treatment of women with disabilities survivors of violence, SOS helpline service and giving psychological support to women that have experienced violence.
– The role of the NGOs is to provide support to women that have experienced violence and empower them to get out of the violent situation. Consultants working on the SOS helpline estimate the degree of endangerment and jointly devise a safety plan with the woman, inform about the actions of the competent institutions, provide advisory support and help in understanding the dynamics of violence. Women often stay in violent situations because they have no support from close persons, legal procedures take too long, have no place to go, have sufficient incomes, are afraid of the escalation of violence. For these reasons, it is significant that we all work together because domestic violence is not a problem that can be solved by one service – said Ivana Zelic.
Andrijana Covic, Tamara Srijemac, Ivana Zelic, Nada Padejski Sekerovic, Ivona Sismanovic, Slobodan Josimovic, Olivera Pejak Prokes and Daniel Carroll
Ivana Zelic 
In addition to the representative of the Organization …IZ KRUGA – VOJVODINA experts from the Novi Sad Police Department, Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office, Social Welfare Center of Novi Sad, Women’s Safe House, Clinics for gynecology and obstetrics, Center for Protection of Victims of Sexual Violence, Court of Appeals, High Court in Novi Sad, Senior Public Prosecutor’s Office and RTV Vojvodine also spoke at the forum.
The participants also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the measures of family legal protection, the Service for Assistance and Support to Witnesses and Victims, multisectoral cooperation of relevant protection subjects and ways that media reports on gender-based violence.
