Small arms and light weapons, gender-based violence and domestic violence: analysis of regulatory framework and practice

SALW, GBV & DV: regulatory framework and practice

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Small arms and light weapons, gender-based violence and domestic violence: analysis of regulatory framework and practice

August 27, 2021

Gender-based violence is still one of the most widespread obstacles towards achieving gender equality - endangering the lives of women, children, families and safety of the community. When perpetrators have access to firearms, the risk of misusing the weapon and the risk of violence escalation significantly increase and the consequences of the misuse are severe. Several laws in the Republic of Serbia recognize the correlation between the misuse of firearms and domestic violence - there is a decrease in the number of homicides committed through the misuse of firearms, but we still face risks that prevent effective and complete protection. By documenting the existing improvements in the regulatory and institutional framework for prevention of and protection from domestic violence, this analysis aims at determining the space and possibility for further improvement in the country’s effective response to misuse of firearms in the context of domestic violence.