Contributed by: Biljana Brankovic, Serbian National VAW Monitor

The only 24-hour hotline for victims of sexual violence, operated by the NGO Incest Trauma Center – Belgrade, has changed its working hours. Now, the line will be open on working days from 9:00 to 17:00.

The Incest Trauma Center opened the line on November 18, 2004, with financial support of the Reconstruction Women’s Fund. The line was the only one that worked around the clock, so the number of calls was high; in the period of its operation, volunteers offered, in total, 2,760 services to clients. Announcing the change in working hours, the Incest Trauma Center published the following press release:

“With all the recognition of the necessity of the service like this to exist (already proven to us), we have responsibly made this decision because 24-hours crisis hotline cannot function solely on volunteer bases, with no support from the City of Belgrade or the other institutions. We believe that working in context of sexual abuse should not be the sole responsibility of the Incest Trauma Center-Belgrade, but of local community as well. During the last two years, we have submitted four project proposals in total to the City of Belgrade, asking for the support of the hotline. None of them was approved.

We thank Reconstruction Women’s Fund, which supported the opening of the hotline in 2004. We especially thank all the persons who called the crisis hotline in these two years for their trust and courage. The 24-hours crisis hotline was founded because of them.”

Published in: Statement for the Media (PDF, 1 page), Incest Trauma Center – Belgrade, 4 September 2006 (Official translation).