The Ne davimo Beograd Women’s group is part of the Independent Women’s Group, composed of representatives of women’s organizations, civic initiatives and socially engaged individuals, which held a rally in support of women and girls from Jagodina who are potential victims of sexual exploitation on Saturday, June 5, at the People’s Youth Square in Jagodina. Through direct action in the field, we sent a joint message to potential victims that they are not alone in this process, and that they are guaranteed assistance and support by law without having to reveal their identity and participate in the investigation and court proceedings.
As a reminder, two days before the 393 women from Jagodina who are employed in the public sector would file a lawsuit for causing panic against Marinika Tepić, because she alleged that women in that city are being sexually blackmailed in order to get a job, Dragan Markovic Palma, suspected to be the main organizer, announced their lawsuit to the media. After that, on April 24, while Marinika Tepić was giving a statement regarding allegations of pedophilia and prostitution organized by Dragan Marković Palma in the Jagodina Police Department – we, as activists, used the moment to jointly draw attention to the fact that the institutions are there to do their job, and to show once again, after the trial of Milutin Jeličić, that we are here for all the women and girls who have been abused.
We support the request sent by members of the women’s organizations of the Women’s Network against Violence and the Anti-Trafficking Network to the State Prosecutor’s Office calling for an urgent investigation of the witness’s allegations, to categorize the case as potential organized trafficking in Jagodina and forward it to the Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office.
The prosecution and police can and should protect these women and girls, as well as witnesses who feel empowered to testify. Having in mind the gravity of this crime and its social significance (the main suspect is in power at the local and national level) – if we do not clearly and publicly persist in requesting unconditional protection and support to all victims and witnesses in the Jagodina case, then all strategies and laws adopted by the state are moot, and the victims of violence will be permanently damaged.
We once again invite potential victims of this and similar crimes to call 011 785 0000, [email protected], in order to get acquainted with the available types of help and support. All calls are anonymous!
Currently, the Independent Women’s Group is made up of/supported by:
ASTRA – Action Against Human Trafficking, The Autonomous Women’s Center, NVO Labris, Women in Black, BeFem – Feminist Cultural center, The Don’t Let Belgrade D(r)own Women’s group,Women’s Association, Peščanik – Kruševac, UG PAOR, Zrenjanin, Center for Girlse – Niš, Sos for Women and Children Victims of Violence – Vlasotince, UG Fenomena – Kraljevo, the Alternative Girls’ Center – Kruševac, The Roma Association Novi Bečej, center for Women’s Studies, Impuls – Tutin, Women’s Center Užice, Karakter Magazine, The “I Believe You” initiative , Minja Marđonović, Aida Ćorović, Jelena Jaćimović, Danijela Štajnfeld, Marta Fiš, Marija Lukić, Jelena Ivković, Vera Kurtić, Tamara Urošević, Mina Damnjanović, Lepa Mlađenović i Milena Milojević.
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