Domestic Violence Cases are Handled More Effectively — More progress during the last Six Months than during the Entire Previous Year

Montenegrin prosecutors have made progress in handling domestic violence cases, particularly in terms of consistency, efficiency, and more coherent criminal-legal qualification of such offences. However, several limitations have been identified in their work, including insufficient human and technical resources, uneven quality of risk assessments, weaker coordination with the police and social work centres, and inadequate provision of information regarding case proceedings.

These findings come from an analysis of the Binding Guidelines for the Conduct of State Prosecutor’s Offices in Cases of Domestic or Family Violence, implemented by the NGO Centre for Women’s Rights in cooperation with the Supreme State Prosecutor’s Office. The Guidelines were issued to prosecutors in October 2024 by the Supreme State Prosecutor, Milorad Marković.

The analysis reveals that Montenegrin prosecutors initiated 862 domestic violence cases in just the first six months of 2025, matching the total number of cases recorded in 2024. In more than two-thirds of the cases — 513 (70%) — the acts were classified as criminal offences, while 218 were treated as misdemeanours.

“Domestic violence is not a private matter, but a violation of human rights and a serious threat to the security of society as a whole. Every case a prosecutor handles is an opportunity to break the chain of violence, protect the victim’s life and dignity, and send a clear message that the state stands by its most vulnerable citizens,” said Maja Raičević, Executive Director of the Centre for Women’s Rights. She also emphasised that “the role of state prosecutors in these proceedings is crucial.”

Copyright: Nikola Kalezić

Supreme State Prosecutor Milorad Marković expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the Guidelines, stressing that state prosecutors have demonstrated commitment and diligence, contributing to improved quality in case management, along with continuous monitoring and review of practices.

“There is still room for better implementation of the Guidelines, but objective reasons often prevent full implementation — for example, limited office space. We aim to see these Guidelines implemented at a much higher level,” stated Marković.

Copyright: Nikola Kalezić

 “I believe these findings and recommendations will serve as a valuable tool for further work and a strong incentive to remain consistent in our goal — ensuring that every victim of domestic and gender-based violence has confidence that the state will respond swiftly, effectively, and with full understanding. Our role is not only to react when violence occurs, but also to create a system that prevents it,” said Senior State Prosecutor Ana Radović. She added, “This year, two final convictions have been issued for cases of femicide, with the perpetrators sentenced to the maximum penalty under our law: 40 years’ imprisonment. I believe our judiciary has sent a clear message that violence against women will not be tolerated.”

The Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Montenegro, Johann Sattler, and the Ambassador of the Czech Republic, Janina Hřebíčková, emphasised that they expect prosecutors and judges to assume responsibility in the process of European integration and in ensuring the safety of Montenegrin citizens.

Copyright: Nikola Kalezić

“Many will say that violence happens everywhere, but the main question is how you respond to it. That’s what matters the most — ensuring strong institutions that protect citizens’ rights. We call on prosecutors and judges to continue their efforts from recent years, maintaining and accelerating the pace,” said Sattler.

“We need systemic changes in understanding, prevention, and response to violence, providing legal aid to survivors and ensuring accountability for perpetrators. Ultimately, achieving all this requires professional prosecutorial practice and joint work in addressing the growing issue of domestic and other forms of violence,” stated Ambassador Hřebíčková.

Copyright: Nikola Kalezić

At the conference presenting the analysis of the Binding Guidelines, participants stressed that full implementation requires numerous measures: increasing the number of prosecutors, advisers, and professional associates; ensuring technical and spatial conditions for separate hearings of victims and children; improving information collection and exchange on the history of violence and risk assessment, and keeping written records of communication with the police; strengthening inter-institutional cooperation through local coordination teams; obliging prosecutors to provide written notification to victims regarding all decisions and measures; developing clear guidelines for identifying gender-based motives for violence; and more vigorously advocating for the imposition of protective and safety measures for victims and children, supported by thorough reasoning and emphasis on aggravating circumstances.

It was concluded that implementing these and other recommendations would ensure more consistent protection for victims, greater trust in the judicial system, and more stable implementation of international standards in combating violence against women and domestic violence.