NCJ Number
221209
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice and Security Volume: 8 Issue: 3,4 Dated: December 2006 Pages: 268-273
Date Published
December 2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper presents some of the most important findings of a study of theoretical and empirical issues related to domestic violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly, the prevalence, structure, and characteristics of domestic violence in Bosnian society.
Abstract
Findings indicate that domestic violence is widespread in Bosnia and Herzegovina; however, 51 percent of respondents felt the state should not interfere in private family issues. Citizens suggested that possible factors underlying domestic violence were cultural definitions of appropriate gender sex roles, expectations of gender roles within relationships, belief in the inherent superiority of males, limited access to education about the equal rights of men and women, unemployment, poverty, alcohol abuse, war, and post-traumatic stress. Police intervened in 2,865 cases of domestic violence. Of these reported cases, 1,233 resulted in a court decision. In the other 1,632 cases, the victim changed her original statement and dropped the charges against the perpetrator, or the courts dismissed the indictment because of the lack of evidence, the penitence of the perpetrator, or the wish of the victim to separate from the abuser. The survey of police officers indicated that 52.85 percent of domestic violence cases involved child victims. The study concludes that Bosnia's criminal justice system is currently unprepared to protect and support victims of domestic violence and prosecute perpetrators. State institutions should develop effective legal, preventive, and protective measures. Data sources for this research were mostly official reports of government institutions. The author cautions that this method excludes victims of domestic violence who have not reported their abuse. Future research should include victim surveys. 1 table, 3 figures, and 19 references