Social space of preschool institutions as a factor of gender equality

The subject of this paper is a sociological gender-sensitive analysis of the use-value of space in public preschool institutions (PPI), starting from the level of Serbian society, through Belgrade and Belgrade municipalities, down to the level of individual kindergartens. The objective of the research is to design the space of PPI facilities, which would provide the families and mothers with control over public space, and thus meet one of the preconditions for positive structural change - gender equality. The following parameters are used as indicators of the use-value of DPU space: the position of the preschool system in Serbia, coverage of children in the preschool system and preschool institutions by type of ownership, coverage of DPU children, insufficiency of DPU social space in Belgrade, compliance of available space in DPU municipalities Cukarica and Vozdovac with valid norms). Data sources: institutional data research (survey research ?Spatial capacity of preschool institutions in Belgrade?, conducted at the Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning, on the subject of Social Development Planning, 2018-2019). The main results of this research confirm the presumed issue in this field, which causes the unequal gender power relations and various consequences which affect the position and quality of life of women-mothers and men. The preschool system in Serbia is in an unfavourable position due to the serious insufficiency of PPI facilities in Belgrade (out of a total of 124,846 preschool children, there is enough space for less than one half; the analysis of the existing PPI capacity shows that there are large differences in capacity at the municipal level, from about three quarters to about one quarter,) and at the level of Belgrade municipalities. The data available for the municipalities of Cukarica, Vozdovac, Palilula, Zemun, Zvezdara, and Novi Beograd show that the same problem exists there as well, which can be solved by accepting the proposals for the required capacity of public kindergartens, which are given in this paper. The insufficient PPI capacity in the municipalities of Cukarica and Vozdovac has been documented at the kindergarten level (a total of 55, 22 of which in the municipality of Cukarica, and 33 in the municipality of Vozdovac.

Domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: Attitudes of Croatian students

The coronavirus pandemic pose tremendous challenge for all countries of the world. People who experience domestic violence deserve special attention in such social circumstances. The purpose of this paper is to present research on students? attitudes about domestic violence in pandemic conditions. In a sample of 334 students from Croatia we analyzed their acceptance of myths about domestic violence, attitudes about domestic violence in pandemic conditions, and the correlation between the acceptance of myths and attitudes about domestic violence. The results indicate the following: students accept myths about domestic violence at the lesser level, they believe that measures to combat coronavirus have led to an increase in all analyzed forms of domestic violence, they do not think that the policingin those cases is well or that victims receive sufficient help and support in pandemics. Differences in students? attitudes towards gender and knowledge of the victim were found, as well as the correlation between attitudes and basic political orientation. The correlations between students? attitudes and acceptance of myths about domestic violence were also established.

Support to victims and witnesses in the Republic of Croatia during the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of this article is to analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the work of the Victim and Witness Support System in the Republic of Croatia, particularly Service for Victim and Witness Support at the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia, Victim and Witness Support Departments at the County Courts, Network of Support and Cooperation for Victims and Witnesses of Criminal Offences (consisting of 10 organizations operating in 13 counties) and National Call Center for Victims of Crime 116 006. The problems faced by support organizations and services as well as victims are presented in the paper. Certain changes in the procedures and new forms of cooperation have been noticed, which improved the support system and enabled victims' easier access to their rights. In order to build a resilient society and organizations, as well as to prevent burnout of professionals and ensure their resilience, it is important to cooperate with each other and provide support to helpers in the form of training, regular meetings, consultations and supervision.

Domestic violence: Evidence-based policies before and during the pandemic in Greece

Domestic violence and gender-based violence has been studied and recognised for many years in Greece. Adequate legislation on the criminalization of domestic violence has been implemented since 2006 (Law 3500/2006 on the Confrontation of Domestic Violence). A network of support services has also operated across the country for many years, staffed with professionals trained in the gender-sensitive perspective. However, Greece still faces the impact of the economic crisis that started in 2010 and the critical aspects of the crisis from the reduction of the public budget imposed by the European institutions in the lives of the individuals, the victims and the providers of the social services have not been fully assessed yet. The COVID-19 pandemic created problems in the victims? access to social services and not only. The shadow pandemic describes the alarm on the increase of domestic violence during the pandemic and the isolation of the victims from the providers of social and psychological support. Addressing both the issue of domestic violence through a victim-centered approach before and during the pandemic in Greece and the need for the implementation of evidence-based policies are the general aims of the paper. To this, we present few findings from an original victimological online research on domestic violence during the first lockdown in the country (March to May 2020) and we justify the need for the implementation of evidence-based policies in the criminal justice system in Greece.

Living conditions of informal workers: A sociological study of brick kiln workers in district Budgam of Kashmir valley

In India, the brick kiln industry is a huge industry employing millions of workers belonging to both rural and urban areas. Most workers in the brick kiln industry reside near the worksites in unhygienic and shabby homes, mainly made up of raw bricks. The present research was carried out on migrant workers who work in the brick kiln industry in District Budgam of Kashmir valley. It is a qualitative study carried out with the help of a focused group discussion with the workers. The study has revealed that all the workers are from Bihar and work in the brick kiln industry for six to seven months per year. All the respondents of the study with whom group discussion was done were illiterate. There are various problems associated with workers like health problems, lack of proper living space, the problem of child labour and lack of any social security support from the government. Workers in the brick kiln industry work under a very high-pressure workload especially during the peak season of construction. There is an urgent need on part of the government to frame some policies for the welfare and protection of migrant brick kiln workers. Further, employers should also provide safe living space and social security to workers.

Domestic violence as a risk factor for the occurrence and development of behavioural disorders in children

Exposure to a traumatic event such as domestic violence has many negative consequences. The subject of this paper is the behaviour disorder of children as a consequence of domestic violence as a risk factor. The paper is based on a case study of the centre for social work. The case of domestic violence, identified consequences and actions undertaken by the center has been analysed. Along with a brief overview of the etiological explanation, the paper gives an overview of the connection between victimization of a child by domestic violence and the manifested behavioural disorder of a chuld. This is done on a concrete example of a family in which violence is present, which is witnessed by the child who shows behavioural disorder. The nalysis indicates violence as a risk factor for juvenile behaviour disorder and delinquency. Therefore, importance of a comprehensive approach within social protection and education systems to children with behavioural disorders is pointed out.

Social and jurisprudential exploration of victimisation of health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic

When human beings are targeted as a class with adverse consequences, whether personally or professionally, it amounts to the victimisation of that class. During the ongoing pandemic, every individual, every class, or even every state has suffered so much. One class that has tried to save us from the pandemic and yet have been the targets of violent attacks, stigmatisation, trauma, and even social exclusion, is that of health care workers. The paper examines the extent of their victimisation and the law or policies enacted to rescue them. The major conclusions are that the scarcity of the facilities and the uncertainties of the disease created anxiety amongst people, and they targeted nurses and also doctors and many of the attacks went violent. Not only were the health care workers victimised by the public, but they also had to suffer at the hands of the administration.

Scope, forms, characteristics and new patterns of victimisation in Serbia during COVID-19 pandemic

This paper aims to analyse the scope, forms, characteristics and new patterns of victimisation in Serbia during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as factors that influenced it. In this paper, the notions of victim and victimisation are used in their largest sense, so that the paper deals with a large scope of victimising events and victims - from (direct and indirect) victimisation by virus COVID-19 and the inadequate reaction of the state, to the criminal victimisation and violation/restrictions of human rights. The particularly difficult situation of, in a socio-economic sense, especially vulnerable groups, such as migrants and asylum seekers, street children, Roma, homeless, older people, single parents, persons located in closed institutions (prisons and social welfare institutions), and victims of violence (in family and during civil protests against state?s response to the pandemic) is stressed. After the introduction, the overview of the development of pandemic in Serbia during 2020 and the measures taken for its suppression is given. After that, the scope, forms and trends of victimisation are analysed based on police statistics and other available data. Finally, characteristics and new patterns of victimisation that appeared in the conditions of the pandemic are analysed. In the conclusion, the main factors of victimisation during the pandemic are outlined. Special emphasis is put on the lack of adequate databases relevant for appropriate response both to COVID-19 and crime, as well as on shortcomings of state response to the pandemic. The paper ends with recommendations for state actions relevant for victims in conditions of pandemic and similar crisis situations.

Domestic violence at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The subject of this paper is domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This paper aims to determine the type and scope of sanctions in Bosnia and Herzegovina for domestic violence before and during the pandemic, patterns of victimization during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine and compare data on the scope of domestic violence before and during the pandemic. The data was collected from the state institutions and non-governmental organizations that provide assistance and protection to victims of violence. The most commonly imposed sanction for domestic violence was a suspended sentence. During the pandemic, combined forms of violence were most commonly reported, with various manifestations of physical, psychological, or economic violence, even femicide. The crisis has led to an increase in the scope of violence in families where dysfunctional relationships were previously recorded, but also to the appearance of the first forms of violence in families where violence had not occurred before. There has been a significant increase in violence reported to NGOs, and these figures do not match those of the state institutions.

Psychological crisis interventions with victims of the coronavirus pandemic

This paper deals with psychological crisis interventions in working with victims of coronavirus, i.e. all those who got sick, but also the entire population which is exposed to the potential danger of infection. It first analyzes the psychological consequences of the pandemic on people, and then the specifics of crisis interventions during the pandemic. The main subject of this paper is the analysis of the adequacy of the most often recommended psychological crisis intervention called psychological first aid for this global crisis. Authors suggest certain modifications of this intervention that could prove important in the coming period, since the end of the pandemic is not yet in sight.