9th meeting of the Network of Cooperation between Governmental Institutions and Nongovernmental Organizations against Sexual Violence, organized by the Women’s Room took place on June 10 and 11, 2011 in Terme Jezerčica. Network of Cooperation has over twenty members from the police, public attorney’s office, judiciary, hospitals, centers for social welfare and nongovernmental organizations.

Results of previous meetings-seminars were establishment of solid network between representatives of different institutions and organizations, accessibility of information needed for improvement of quality of work, development of the Code of Conduct in Cases of Sexual Violence in Schools, development of the document Proposals for Changes regarding Sexual Violence: Legislative Changes, Victims’ Protection and Development of Prevention Programs, as well as work on solving specific cases from everyday practice.

At this year’s meeting, Women’s Room report “Sexual Violence in Croatia 2000 – 2010” was presented and there was discussion about proposals for changes to the Penal Code related to sexual violence, changes to the Criminal Procedure Act and about specific cases. Maja Mamula also delivered a lecture about trauma and its consequences on reporting violence and witnessing.

Meeting was supported by the Embassy of Finland and the National Foundation for Civil Society Development.

 

On Thursday, June 9, Maja Mamula delivered last in the set of lectures at the Police Academy in Zagreb. Attendees of the last lecture were over 30 chiefs of shifts of the police stations across Croatia. They were introduced to situation in Croatia related to violence against women, the role of civil society organizations in combating this form of violence as well as support and assistance services provided to victims by civil society organizations. We would like to thank the Police Academy for the invitation and we hope this successful cooperation will continue in the future.

Maja Vukmanić and Antonija Hojt represented Women’s Room at the CSO Days 2011 in Pula from May 26 through 28, 2011. “Civil society in Croatia 2016 – vision, strategy and action”, organized by the Office for Cooperation with NGOs of the Government of Croatia, TACSO project in Croatia, and the National Foundation for Civil Society Development was focused on the promotion of partnerships and development of civil society.

The aim of this year’s CSO Days was to create space and time for hundred participants, representatives of civil society organizations, to discuss and creatively shape proposals for development of civil society in the Republic of Croatia and in this way contribute to development of draft proposal for the National Strategy and Plan of Action for 2012 – 2016.

 

On Wednesday, May 18, Maja Mamula delivered another regular monthly lecture at the Police Academy in Zagreb. Over 30 chiefs of shifts of the police stations across Croatia also attended this lecture. They were introduced to situation in Croatia related to violence against women, the role of civil society organizations in combating this form of violence as well as support and assistance services provided to victims by civil society organizations.

By invitation from the Association Lawyer, Maja Mamula presented at the panel „Trafficking in Human Beings“ on May 11, 2011. Presentation focused on psychological consequences of traumatic experiences on the victim as well as influence of trauma on giving reports and witnessing. Apart from Mamula, presenters were Lovorka Marinović, coordinator of the program for combating trafficking in human beings of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Davor Derenčinović, professor of Criminal Law at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb.

Participants of the panel were 50 students, predominantly from the Faculty of Law, but also from other Faculties.

Women’s Room organized a follow-up meeting on May10 with volunteers who supported our work through the project “Using Gender Equality to Combat Sexual Violence”. The meeting was facilitated by Antonija Hojt and Maja Vukmanić. Topics covered included positive and negative experiences from workshops volunteers led in the past three months. They actively participated in combating sexual violence by delivering 60 workshops on the topic of gender equality and prevention of sexual harassment. We would like to thank again all of our volunteers for unselfish investment of their time, knowledge and energy, and we are looking forward to cooperation on future Women’s Room’s projects.

 

On May 6 and 7, the Women’s Room organized a two-day training on sexual rights in Mali Lošinj. Training was organized in cooperation with the “Center for Healthy Growth – Idem i ja” and participants included first and second grade high school students. Training was lead by Maja Vukmanić and Antonija Hojt and topics included sexuality, sexual health, sexual rights and gender equality. We would like to thank all participants and  “Center for Healthy Growth – Idem i ja” for their interest and invitation!

 

At the press conference held in the Women’s Room on April 21, Maja Mamula and Maja Vukmanić presented report “Sexual Violence in Croatia 2000 - 2010”. Apart from data related to sexual violence in Croatia in the past 11 years, journalists were familiarized with important changes that took place during this time period, which lead to improvement of protection of rights of victims of sexual violence. Report is available here (pdf).

The Women’s Room organized a one-day training on April 16, 2011 for teachers and expert associates in the scope of the project “Step by Step”, financially supported by Cooperating Netherlands Foundations for Central and Eastern Europe (CNF-CEE). Training was held in the Hotel Palace and over twenty teachers and expert associates were educated on sexual violence, gender equality and the Code of Conduct in Cases of Sexual Violence. We would like to thank all teachers and experts for participation and we are looking forward to future cooperation.