Women’s protests in the Balkans

Submitted by cathy n on 17 April, 2023 - 1:08 Author: Katy Dollar
Belgrade

In the Serbian capital of Belgrade, protests have been held since September 2022, when a pro-government newspaper published an interview with Igor Milošević, who had served a 15-year sentence for numerous rapes and physical assaults on women. The piece instructed women on how to protect themselves during sexual assault.

“While I was raping and robbing, I felt freedom,” said Milošević. He reportedly threatened the female journalist who interviewed him, telling her, “If I decide to rape you, I will.”

Ženska Solidarnost (Women’s Solidarity), a Belgrade-based women’s collective, began calling protests. The collective began in 2018 as a Facebook group where women shared stories about domestic violence. The demonstrations helped it evolve into a real life movement.

Slogans seen on placards and banners read “no more”, “rage in the streets — justice for women and girls”, “these witches don’t burn”. People also chanted “women’s revolution”, “educate your sons”, and “woman to woman solidarity”.

Across the border to the east, in Bosnia-Herzegovina, women also took to the streets from autumn with placards saying “Enough — no more”.

There is some backlash. The International Women’s Day march in the Bosnian city of Banja Luka was verbally and then physically attacked because of one of the participants was carrying a rainbow flag.

Gordana Katana, one of the organisers of the march marking International Women’s Day, said four young men first verbally called out the participants before the march officially began.

Demands

The protesters are calling for a legal definition of femicide and its introduction as a criminal offence; the application of the Istanbul Convention (the Council of Europe’s convention on preventing and combating violence against women); and consistent sentences for perpetrators. They also want state institutions to work together to provide better prevention and protection against violence against women.

Women support each other across the border, knowing they have the same fight a universal fight for women’s rights.

Belgrade feminist Jelena Riznić said: “The problem of violence against women is a problem that transcends national borders — and we had messages at the protest that took place on the same day to support friends from Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Riznić.

And Bosnian feminist Enisa Raković: “Femicide knows no borders. It does not know age, skin colour, religion, ethnicity or nationality, place of residence. On every part of the planet, abusive men tell women — you’re only good if you’re dead. And we say ‘No more!’ We will not live in fear. We will not die in silence”.

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