An inspiring story of the first multiethnic shelter for victims of domestic violence in a rural area shows us that determination and will can make a change, but also sets an example. Vesna Stajić, together with other brave women, is leading a shelter in Novo Brdo / Novobërdë, which provides protection and support to victims of domestic violence when they need it most. She reminds us of the importance of educating our families and communities that any form of violence is completely unacceptable.

What inspired you to establish a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Novo Brdo / Novobërdë, and what were the key challenges you faced in the initial stages?
The initiative to open a shelter for victims of domestic violence in an area predominantly inhabited by the Serbian community was a joint effort by several Serbian women's non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working on women's rights and gender equality. Some organizations and informal groups raised this issue in other areas, but they did not receive support from local governments.
Our NGO Our Home (Naš Dom) was fortunate to gain support from the Novo Brdo / Novobërdë Municipality Assembly in 2016, which passed a decision to allocate and repurpose an existing school building for opening a shelter for victims of domestic violence.
One of the challenges we faced at the beginning was the licensing of individuals who would provide services to the shelter's beneficiaries. We did not have staff with the appropriate diplomas, recognized by Kosovo. Keep in mind that this was in 2016, 2017.
To provide services, we also had to register and license a new NGO Women’s Inclusive Center (Ženski Inkluzivni Centar) that would manage the shelter.

The shelter in Novo Brdo / Novobërdë is the first multiethnic shelter for victims of domestic violence in Kosovo. Does this present an additional challenge?
The shelter in Novo Brdo / Novobërdë is the first in an area with a predominantly Serbian population, established by a Serbian women’s NGO with the aim of providing safe accommodation for victims whose native language is not Albanian. On the other hand, all shelters in Kosovo are multiethnic, and none of my colleagues has ever denied services to a victim belonging to a different ethnic community.
The challenge for us arose when we received our first victim of Albanian ethnicity, as we did not speak Albanian well enough. Now, we can communicate more effectively, and smartphones have been a great help.

How is the shelter funded, and do you face any difficulties in securing financial resources?
A licensed NGO providing social services receives annual financial support from the relevant Ministry, which is currently the Ministry of Justice. However, the NGO also applies for funding from other donors, both international and domestic, to support additional activities. Additionally, we receive annual support from our Municipality.
There are challenges in financing the renovation of the space and adapting it to the recommendations of the Istanbul Convention and the minimum standards for shelters, as the facility we are using still does not meet these standards and does not provide all the required conditions for such a space. Furthermore, we do not have any vehicles for the shelter's needs, and we are located in a rural, mountainous area with no local transportation.

How do victims of domestic or other forms of gender-based violence reach out to you? How do they find out about the existence of the shelter?
According to Kosovo law, victims should be referred and brought to us by the Kosovo Police. However, we often receive referrals from Social Work Centers, and there are cases where individuals contact us directly through the free SOS hotline or our personal phone numbers.
Interestingly, everyone knows we exist, but if you ask directly, they will deny it, saying that such services don't exist in Serbian-majority communities.
Currently, we are working on an informational campaign aimed at presenting our services and making the public opinion aware about our work focused on addressing stereotypes.

Do you collaborate with other licensed shelters for victims of domestic violence in Kosovo and NGOs working on this issue?
Of course. There is an informal Coalition of Shelters in Kosovo, led by Mrs. Nazife Jonuzi, the director of the Safe House in Gjilan/Gnjilane, and we are part of this coalition. We also collaborate with other women's NGOs and civil society organisations from across Kosovo, from all communities that deal with the same and similar issues.

What services do you provide to your beneficiaries? Are children included? What is the average time spent in the shelter by the beneficiaries?
We provide our beneficiaries -women and children- with safe accommodation, food, hygiene products, medication, clothing, and footwear. We also offer counseling services, including psychosocial, legal, business, and healthcare support. Additionally, we provide reintegration programs, educational programs, career training programs, and monitoring after leaving the shelter.
In our work, we have encountered a need for mentorship during the reintegration process, especially when searching for employment or engaging in self-employment. It is very difficult, sometimes nearly impossible, for a woman or victim to go through this process alone, which is why many give up. This has made us very interested in building our own capacities in the field of social mentorship.
Our services are available to all our beneficiaries, whether they were accommodated in the shelter or used counseling services.

Can you describe what a day in a safe house looks like?

Breakfast is from 7 to 9 AM, served exclusively in the dining room unless it concerns a baby or a person with a disability, in which case food may be brought to the room. The on-duty staff prepares the meals, assisted by residents who have been at the shelter for over 48 hours.
After breakfast, the on-duty staff or psychologist assigns tasks for maintaining hygiene—personal care, clothing, and room cleanliness. We also organize transportation for schoolchildren or take residents to specialist appointments when needed.
Afterward, residents engage in occupational therapy based on their interests, counseling sessions with a psychologist, or legal consultations, depending on their individual plans. Family meetings are arranged through the Social Work Center, located 10 minutes away.
Lunch is from 12:30 to 3 PM. After lunch, residents have free time to spend indoors or, if agreed, outside the shelter with supervision, or accompanied by staff if deemed necessary.
Dinner is from 6:30 to 8 PM, with snacks available between meals based on the needs of residents.
Evenings are for TV or board games, with an option for crafts for those interested. The evening socializing and conversation are the most enjoyable part of the day for both staff and residents.
This is a typical day at the shelter, with adjustments made based on individual needs without disrupting the routine for others.

What are the main challenges of the system for preventing, protecting, and providing justice for victims of gender-based violence, particularly domestic violence? Has the work of the police improved in recent years? What about the judiciary system? In your opinion, is there enough trust in the system from victims for them to report violence, or are there still many unreported cases?
Despite the evident increase in reports to the Kosovo Police, I believe that it is still just the tip of the iceberg. A larger percentage of victims never report violence due to traditional and cultural norms. I don't want to believe that they still lack trust in institutions, though this can be inferred from the number of victims who come directly to us for services and do not want to report violence to the police.
Thanks to laws that now declare violence as a criminal offense and establish penalties, the work of institutions enforcing these laws, such as the police and the prosecutor's office, has improved. They are more efficient in their actions.

Are people in Kosovo aware of the prevalence of gender-based violence? Do victims have support from their loved ones?
People in Kosovo are very aware of the prevalence of gender-based violence, but they tend to ignore it, downplaying the effects of this negative phenomenon. Over five years of work, we have seen that, in most cases, around 90% of the cases, victims do not have support from their families. What particularly angers me is that they do not have support from the women in their families -mothers, sisters, daughters. Instead of solidarity and support, they face condemnation and humiliation!

What can individuals do to reduce the rate of gender-based violence?
Not only we can, but what we must do is to educate our families, children, and communities that violence against women, simply because they are women, is unacceptable! We must also behave in line with our beliefs, always and everywhere, highlighting and condemning violence directed at women in all its forms.