Life Above The Law

Gender inequality, as well as human rights in general in Serbia, is stuck in a closed space between patriarchal heritage, tabloid media and conservative educational institutions. More than 4,000 victims of domestic violence turn to the counseling center for the fight against domestic violence in Belgrade every year. The Project “Life Above The Law” – documentary TV shows and video clips, as well as newspaper articles, raises awareness of gender equality as one of the basic human rights as a prerequisite for the prevention of violence against women and girls, with a focus on domestic violence.

Based on the fact that the number of cases of gender-based violence with a fatal outcome has increased drastically in recent years, we organized workshops with students of law, social work, security, journalism and psychology – future implementers of the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence, involving also experts, representatives of relevant legal institutions and non-governmental organizations and media.

Together, we focused on the questions:

• Are women and children the property of men?
• Is domestic violence a private matter?
• Are there victims of violence and victims of institutions in Serbia, because of late reactions and mild punishments for violent people?
• Do professionals always recognize violence?
• How do stereotypical gender roles and prejudices lead to violence against women?
• How much is gender-based violence recognized?
• Is patriarchal socialization tolerated and applied daily in education and college?

Through 4 half-hour television shows and 12 video clips, created on the basis of recorded material from discussions, which were broadcast by television and posted on social networks, students improved their knowledge in the field of prevention and protection from violence. They understood the obligations of citizens when recognizing violence in their environment, but also how they should act as professionals, once becoming an official part of the prevention and protection system.

Most of the students, who grew up in traditional patriarchal families where they inherited the same model of thinking, were given the opportunity and challenge to participate in debates with their peers and create media dialogues, which is also lacking in public life in Serbia. Many are even proud of existing gender stereotypes and sexism and see it as part of traditional culture and family values.

The open debate among students was encouraged by professionals who deal with the protection of human rights, people who understand the issue and who can push the boundaries in their professions:

• Gorjana Mirčić Čaluković, deputy public prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice
• Vanja Macanović, lawyer and member of the Autonomous Women’s Center
• Slobodan Josimović, deputy public prosecutor of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad
• Nada Padejski, psychologist, manager of the Safe House in Novi Sad
• Ivana Milovanović, judge of the Basic Court in Niš
• Ana Saćipović from the Association of Roma Women OSVIT.
• Adisa Zahiragić, a judge of the Cantonal Court in Sarajevo and a member of the Association of Women Judges of Bosnia and Herzegovina, talks about the gender prejudices present in the Balkans, which determine how we will treat those problems that are related to violence, first of all, towards women
• Dr. Stojanka Mirčeva from the Faculty of Security in Skopje, Macedonia
• Svjetlana Timotić, executive director and founder of the organization “Iz Kruga Vojvodina”, Novi Sad.

TV shows should also lead to greater and deeper public understanding and support for gender equality and violence prevention, as well as how to develop empathy towards them and support them in exercising their rights, instead of further discriminating and traumatizing them as in most cases. The originally created scenography of the TV series consists of the statements/messages of the women victims so that both the panelists and the audience are aware of the human aspect and reality of the problem at all times.