MINIĆ: CALL FOR REVIVAL OF GENUINE CHIVALRY IN HOW SOCIETY TREATS WOMEN

BANJA LUKA, NOVEMBER 25 /SRNA/ — Republika Srpska Prime Minister Savo Minić has said today in Banja Luka that it is important for women to report violence in a timely manner in order to prevent more serious consequences and ensure that perpetrators are properly punished.

Minić called on all women to report any suspicion that could indicate violence against them. "Once they report it, we will involve all institutions to establish the full facts," Minić told reporters in Banja Luka ahead of the Conference on the Prevention and Suppression of Digital Violence Against Women, held as part of the global "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" campaign. He noted that the Government provides support in combating violence against women and emphasized that this issue must be highlighted throughout the entire year. "Our primary focus must be on ensuring that violence is reported. Unfortunately, when it comes to physical violence, we often see a long period of abuse that goes unreported, and by then the consequences have already occurred," Minić stressed. The Prime Minister added that digital violence is widespread and increasingly present. "It is clear that we will need to expand the definition of certain criminal offenses to address the various forms of harassment and violence against women," Minić pointed out. He stressed that men must play a significant role in the systemic resolution of this problem. "We must return to genuine chivalry in how we treat women. All of us who want to be gentlemen and honorable men must do everything we can to contribute to systemic solutions and ensure strict punishment for such behavior," Minić stated. This event is one of the activities within the "Life Without Violence" campaign, conducted annually by the Center for Gender Equality in Republika Srpska as part of the global campaign to combat violence against women, which began today and runs until December 10.