Population Size:
622,137[1]
Number of people who have experienced domestic abuse per annum:
Proportion of ever-partnered women aged 18–74 years experiencing intimate partner physical and/or sexual violence in the last 12 months: 4.8%. [2]
Regarding the crimes of domestic violence, in 2018, the courts had a total of 232 cases. Out of that number, 147 cases were resolved in a timely manner, 136 cases – with conviction, 6 by acquittal, 2 cases were resolved by a judgment dismissing the charge, while in 2 cases a decision on dismissal was made. [3]
No research on male victims or other gender identities.
Cost to the country's economy:
17.9 million EUR cost to the economy due to the consequences of partner violence, which reflects negatively on the productivity of employed women. Therefore, the annual loss is about 0.5% of the GDP. The cost for the next ten years is estimated to be 241 million EUR. [4]
Estimated increase due to COVID-19:
In Montenegro, Maja Raicevic, head of the Centre for Women’s Rights, said on April 5 that in March calls to her NGO reporting domestic violence were up 20 per cent on the previous month. [5]
Current law and policy:
In the 2019 Report of Montenegro on the Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda), Montenegro has pledged to achieve its goal for gender equality through the suppression of all forms of gender-based violence, violence against women and domestic violence, and the improvement of the position and protection of the rights of victims of all forms of gender-based violence.
The Government of Montenegro has introduced The Strategy for Protection from Domestic Violence 2016-2020, as to conduct continuous research to collect statistical, administrative and judicial data on all forms of violence. The Strategy for Protection from Domestic Violence 2016 - 2020 is designed to conduct continuous research in order to collect statistical, administrative and judicial data on all forms of violence, classified in relation to the type of violence, judicial proceedings (criminal or misdemeanour), data on whether it is repeated violence (previously conducted procedures and imposed measures), sex, age and relationship between victim and offender, geographical location.[6]
According to the 2018 Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review – Montenegro (Addendum), the Montenegro government pledges to undertake activities for the purpose of effective implementation of laws, strategies and action plans to fight against domestic violence, violence against women and children. Further, Montenegro will conduct national plans to: (i) improve support services for victims of violence (according to the Istanbul Convention); (ii) continuously educate staff at the relevant institutions; (iii) create an awareness campaign on domestic violence; (iv) ensuring the functioning domestic violence victims’ database is defined; and (v) improving judicial/legal/law enforcement responses & resources to domestic violence cases