Contributed by: Vanja Mikulic and Irena Milatovic, Montenegro National VAW Monitors  

Upon signing the Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding between SOS hotline Niksic and Police Department in Niksic in October 2003, and by lobbying the key persons in the police, SOS hotline Niksic initiated the establishment of the Office for Domestic Violence.

With approval from the Minister of the Ministry of the Interior, for the first time in Montenegro, the Office for Domestic Violence has been established within the law enforcement office in Niksic in December 2004. The Office for Domestic Violence has its phone line, officials on duty, and police inspector in charge for domestic violence cases. Besides, the SOS hotline Niksic has developed a special form for the needs of this Office with the aim of detailed monitoring and recording cases of domestic violence.

The law enforcement office in Niksic (Police department) initiated realization of tribunes in different parts of the town. Speakers of the tribunes included representatives of the Police Department, the Center for social work, SOS Hotline, Court, and the Hospital (more precisely, members of the local coordinative team for elimination of domestic violence in Niksic). Tribunes were organized for the citizens, and citizens’ attendance was very good, with approximately 120 persons at each tribune. Local media followed these activities. At the same time, activists of the SOS hotline Niksic posted posters throughout the town aimed at inviting citizens to participate in open public discussions on the topic of domestic violence and to ask questions of key persons from the local community who are dealing with the protection and safety of victims.

During the summer of 2005, as an activity within the Program of coordinated activities for the elimination of violence in the family, SOS hotline Niksic has developed propaganda material (3000 leaflets). Leaflets contain messages for three different parties:

• Violators/perpetrators – imprisonment and punishment if they commit violence in the family;
• Victims – women and children should denounce violence and they have the law on their side; 
• Citizens – a call for neighbors, relatives, friends to give contributions and denounce violence.

Materials were and are to be distributed by traffic police officers.

Source: SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence in Niksic

Image Gallery: Leaflet-pages