During the working meeting with lawyers, that took place in Kolašin on 25 and 26 May 2022, the position of the victim of domestic violence in the framework of criminal procedure was discussed, with the aim to enhance lawyers’ capacities to protect victims and prevent secondary victimisation. Very often victims feel responsible for the crime due to the inadequate response of the relevant authorities to their allegations. Therefore, legal representation and support throughout entire judicial proceedings is essential for the protection of victims. The right to free legal aid is one of the most important rights, that is, unfortunately, not often used in the cases of domestic violence.

Not only do the victims need to be informed of their rights, but other actors in the system must also respond adequately to their needs, thus providing comprehensive support. Lawyers, as free legal aid providers, play an important role in this respect and need to be sensitised to deal with the victims of violence. To this end, the event brought together representatives of the police, prosecution, courts, lawyers from the northern region, the NGO Women’s Rights Centre and the Council of Europe, aiming primarily at enhancing the judicial response to cases of domestic violence.

The meeting was organised in the context of the campaign #TellTheWholeStory, that is implemented to raise the awareness of victims on the available protective mechanisms. The activities aiming to enhance capacities of lawyers to provide free legal aid to victims of domestic violence are organised within the action "Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro", which is part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.