Belgrade, November 25, 2024 – Aiming to raise awareness about forms of violence against women that are not sufficiently recognized as dangerous, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focuses on educating the public about coercive control in relationships as part of this year's “It Is My Business” (Serbian: Tiče Me Se) campaign. UNDP is launching this campaign for the sixth time to mark the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.”

Restricting contact with friends and family, constant criticism and accusations, tracking movement, and monitoring daily activities, restrictions related to decision-making or employment, are just some examples of controlling behavior in a relationship, through which the abuser seeks to bring the victim to complete isolation, dependency, and helplessness.

Such behavior is sometimes wrongly interpreted as jealousy and can escalate into much more serious and dangerous forms of violence, even those with fatal outcomes. UNDP's Analysis of Cases of Femicide Committed with Firearms showed that in 2/3 of these cases, the perpetrator showed jealous behavior, while the Research on Femicide - Suicide Cases indicates that in 81% of cases, abusers exhibited controlling behavior towards their partner before the murder.

As part of this year's “It Is My Business” campaign, through its social network channels Instagram and Facebook, UNDP will present various situations and tactics of isolation and control in relationships, which mainly affect women and girls, so that such behavior is recognized and stopped. The illustrations accompanying the campaign were illustrated by comic artist Jana Adamović, co-founder of the Stripotetke association.

Coercive control has far-reaching psychological and physical consequences for the victim and can lead to lack of social contacts and financial insecurity, making it more difficult to leave an abusive relationship. Research by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (in Serbian) shows that women who have experienced some form of violence are more often isolated. One in 3 women who have experienced some form of violence meets with close persons once a year or even less frequently. Also, these women usually do not have close persons they trust and can turn to in the event of experienced violence.

If you are in immediate danger of violence, call the police at 192 or 0800 100 600!

You can find more information about reporting violence and the measures taken by institutions on the "Turn Off Violence" website: https://iskljuci-nasilje.rs/detaljno-uputstvo-za-prijavu-nasilja-2/.

If you are not ready to report the violence but would like to talk to someone about it, contact organisations that help women in violent situations: https://www.zeneprotivnasilja.net/usluge-u-zajednici/srbija/mapa-usluga.

The campaign “Jealousy is not love - #ItIsMyBusiness” contributes to wider efforts within the project “Ending Violence – empowering change”, jointly implemented by the UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and UN Women in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with the support of the Government of Sweden. The project contributes to creating an environment where gender-based discrimination and violence are unacceptable, women’s rights are protected, and both women and men equally participate and contribute to all aspects of life.