A Nationwide Evaluation of Services Provided to Domestic Violence Survivors at Shelters in Bosnia-Herzegovina

Abstract

The shelter movement in Bosnia-Herzegovina was born out of a tradition of assisting survivors of gender-based violence in the early 1990s during the Bosnian conflict. To date, nine shelters are in existence providing emergency shelter and services to survivors. Little is known about these shelters, or the clients these shelters serve. The purpose of this study is to examine what services are provided to domestic violence survivors by shelters in Bosnia-Herzegovina and who these survivors are. A total of 43 service providers from all existing shelters within the country were surveyed about shelter characteristics, client demographics, and services provided. Findings revealed that the typical Bosnian shelter had been in operation for 11 years and had assisted 64 survivors in the previous year; the majority of whom were married females with minor children who had sought shelter services before. Core services were provided by the majority of shelters, including crisis services, legal and medical advocacy, counseling, and community education. While services were provided to a diverse group of survivors (e.g., children, elderly women, victims of human trafficking), shelters were less likely to be available for male and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender survivors. Implications from these findings, as well as limitations and suggestions for further research, are discussed.

The Imperative Need for Criminological Research on the European Roma: A Narrative Review

“…Further, Dan & Banu, 2018 addressed the violence that Roma women experienced from other family members, such as their fathers. In addition, Muftić et al (2019) and Briones-Vozmediano et al (2019) studied the use of victim assistance services of Roma women victims of IPV, while Kozubik et al (2020) addressed the physical and mental health consequences for Roma women victims of IPV. These studies were conducted in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovakia, Spain, Romania and Turkey.…”

“…Further, the Roma were found to distrust victim assistance services and accordingly, did not use them. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Muftić et al (2019) studied 433 services that provided help to domestic violence survivors. Their findings revealed that, on average, shelters had assisted 64 survivors in the previous year, typically married women with minor children.…”

“…( 27) Molnar & Aebi (2021) The most common victimisation of young Romanian Roma were verbal attacks linked to begging, domestic violence and theft, whilst the most committed offences were fights and domestic violence, often bidirectional. (28) Muftić et al (2019) Roma survivors of intimate partner violence were a minority in victim assistance services from Bosnia and Herzegovina. (29, 30) Oliván Gonzalvo (2004aGonzalvo ( , 2004b Spanish Roma children are more neglected physically and emotionally than Spanish and foreign children and are more exposed to crime and drug use in their family environment.…”

Drawing on the continuum: a war and post-war political economy of gender-based violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina

“…In 2008, the provision of shelter in safe houses was introduced as an additional measure of protection (Muftić, Deljkić, and Fansher 2019). 4 This measure is also rarely approved by the courts, in clear violation of official legislation.…”

A Comparative Analysis of Domestic Violence Shelter Staff Perceptions Regarding Barriers to Services in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States

“…Since 1993, following the opening of the first shelter in Zenica (within the Federation of BiH), a total of nine shelters (six in the Federation and three in Republika Srpska) with 204 beds have come into operation to assist females and children of DV (Logar, 2016). Included within the range of services available for survivors in BiH have been legal and medical advocacy, crisis intervention, individual counseling, support groups, and community education and awareness (Muftić, Deljkić, & Fansher, 2016). In addition to an increase of shelters and services for survivors since the 1990s, in 2013 the country ratified the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combatting Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (hereinafter the Istanbul Convention).…”