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Article
Violence Against Women in Belgrade, Serbia: SOS Hotline, 1990-1993
Violence Against Women (1997)
  • Donna M. Hughes, Dr., University of Rhode Island
  • Zorica Mrsevic, Dr.
Abstract

The SOS Hotline for Women and Children Victims of Violence opened in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1990. For each call reporting an incident of violence, a data form was completed with the details of the call. Almost all callers were victims of violence from family member or intimate partners. The majority reported incidents of physical and verbal/emotional violence; a minority reported sexual and economic violence. The frequency and duration of violence were very high. Callers were often forced to live with perpetrators because of lack of available housing, which worsened due to privatization, economic sanction against Serbia, and the influx of refugees. Men's participation in the wars in Croatia and Bosnia increased their violence against women at home, especially sons against their mothers. Most refugees were housed in private homes, resulting in increased violence against women refugees and women hosts.

Keywords
  • violence,
  • Serbia,
  • domestic violence,
  • war,
  • nationalism,
  • intimate partner violence,
  • hotlines
Publication Date
April, 1997
Citation Information
Donna M. Hughes and Zorica Mrsevic. "Violence Against Women in Belgrade, Serbia: SOS Hotline, 1990-1993" Violence Against Women Vol. 3 Iss. 2 (1997)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/donna_hughes/34/