The Republic of Srpska

Today, in Banja Luka, the Network of Women in the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior conducted a training ‘’Domestic Violence – Education of Police Officer Managers of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior’’. The training is conducted within the project implemented by the Network of Women, with the support of OSCE Mission to BIH.Ms Sanja Sumonja, the Chairwoman of WPON Executive Committee of the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior, pointed out that this project consisted of six trainings for police officers from 10 police administrations, and that trainers were prosecutors, experts from the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior, and a psychologist, i.e. a pedagogue who would put a special focus on the attitude towards victims and treating victims of domestic violence. One of goals of these trainings is to prevent victims to withdraw lawsuits and give up during the long criminal process. In addition, Chairwoman Sumonja stated that the Network of Women was formed in 2011, and that number of projects on gender-based violence had been implemented during these six years.The Chief of Policy and Strategy Department of OSCE MISSION to BIH, Mr Joeri Maas, said that the police could have a crucial role in responding to criminal offences of domestic violence and expressed his satisfaction for being able to support activities of Network of Women in the Republic of Srpska Ministry of the Interior in this field. Furthermore, he pointed out that police, as other institutions as well, had to do more on issue of domestic violence.