Validation workshop
On March 15 and 16, Medica Zenica held a validation workshop at the Ajdinovići Sports and Recreation Center. The aim of the workshop was to present the preliminary results of the research “Multisectoral responses to the protection and care of victims of gender-based violence during closure in BiH”. As well as through the participatory participation of actors in the protection of victims of violence from relevant ministries, institutions and NGOs that run safe houses, contribute to improvement in the qualitative sense of research, it was assessed as important for further establishing guidelines, especially at the local level.
"Medica" Zenica in its safe house showed an increase in violence by 75% (526 cases of violence), in 2020 compared to 2019, when there were 300 identified cases of violence. The research also indicates that cross-sectoral cooperation was not gender sensitive, and that in the period of restrictive measures, there was simply no thought of victims of violence by the relevant crisis headquarters. This shows that no preventive measures have been imposed on victims of violence. During the validation workshop and the presentation of the research, the participants recognized that the victims of violence show great trust in non-governmental organizations.
Participants also consider the results and recommendations to be extremely important, and one of them says:"Even a year after the pandemic, actors in the protection system do not know how to act and move when it comes to victims of violence."
During the workshop, participants had the opportunity to share personal experiences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the feeling that still prevailed at the time of the pandemic was fear. One of the participants experienced an emotional crash when he survived 22 days on a respirator, after which he lost a family member. Another participant added that fear, uncertainty, anger and rage towards the system, and hope through vaccination were mixed during the period. He added that he experienced everything differently when he personally entered the health center and the waiting room full of people, potentially infected people, compared to when he was a member of the protection staff in the local community and passed certain measures.
The results of the research motivated the participants themselves to discuss the protection of their mental health in order to respond efficiently and effectively to the needs of victims of gender-based violence.
Dr. sci. Sabiha Husić expressed respect and exceptional courage of the participants who shared their personal experiences and emotions and convinced themselves that the panemia exposed all the shortcomings of the system.
Some of the challenges identified during the discussion, especially crisis management, are insufficient human and material resources, but also lack of care for the mental health of professionals who are at the forefront of protecting victims of violence and for whom this is just one of many business tasks.
The research was conducted by Medica Zenica in partnership with the United Women of Banja Luka, with the financial support of UN Women.