Psychological support for survivors of sexual violence must not be a luxury

Novi Sad, May 22, 2025 — Organized by the Center for Women’s Support, the conference “Psychological Support and Legal Protection for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Vojvodina” was held as part of the project “Path to Recovery: Improving Services for Survivors of Sexual Violence in Vojvodina,” supported by the UN Trust Fund.

The conference brought together experts from Serbia and the wider region to exchange knowledge and strengthen cross-sector collaboration in providing psychological and legal assistance to survivors of sexual violence. Discussions focused on key challenges, including inadequate institutional support, lack of specialized services, and obstacles to accessing justice.

According to recent research, as many as 62% of women in Serbia experience some form of gender-based violence after the age of 15, with 22% subjected to physical and sexual violence.

During a panel on the capacity of civil society organizations, Bojana Balević from the NGO Atina emphasized that psychological support for survivors of sexual violence cannot be treated as a privilege but must be recognized as a fundamental right. “Psychological support is not a luxury. It cannot function without legal, social, and economic support. All must be integrated, synchronized, and long-term,” she stressed, highlighting that psychological support must be accessible to every survivor, without exception—not only to those who can afford it or are lucky enough to receive it.

“Psychological support cannot be an isolated island. If a woman has no access to justice, if she is hungry, or if her children are hungry, we cannot talk about real help. Our experience shows that everything must be connected—psychological, legal, social, and economic support—in one integrated approach,” Balević stated.

For over two decades, Atina has provided comprehensive support to women and girls who survived human trafficking and sexual violence, offering safe housing, legal and psychological assistance, education, and economic empowerment. Approximately 80% of human trafficking victims in Serbia are women subjected to sexual exploitation, often as minors.

Atina has developed an integrated support model involving specialized lawyers, psychologists, and social workers. However, as they warn, this model is sustainable only due to donor support and individual enthusiasm, while systemic support remains lacking.

“In Serbia, civil society organizations have long been treated as a fallback option, despite carrying the heaviest burden in service provision. If we want to talk about effective psychological support, the practice of delegating responsibility without financial and institutional backing must urgently change,” Atina representatives emphasized.

The conference concluded with a clear message: access to justice that does not retraumatize but supports, empowers, and respects the dignity of survivors is the only path to proper recovery. Achieving this requires good intentions, concrete investments, systemic support, and political will.