Between 2018 and 2024, a shocking 228,683 victims of domestic violence were officially recorded in Serbia, exposing the deep and persistent crisis of abuse and impunity that continues to plague the country.
According to data presented by Valentina Opačić, advisor to the minister without portfolio Tatjana Macura, during the “Days of Archibald Rice” conference, the numbers reveal a grim reality behind Serbia’s promises of reform.
Of all victims, 70% were women, 30% men, and 8.55% were children—a devastating reminder that domestic violence remains a widespread social epidemic, not an isolated issue.
While officials point to a 21% drop in the number of people killed in domestic violence cases since 2018, such statistics cannot overshadow the staggering scale of suffering—hundreds of thousands of victims whose safety was compromised within their own homes.
This figure—nearly a quarter of a million lives marked by abuse in just six years—raises serious questions about Serbia’s institutions, the effectiveness of law enforcement, and the government’s long-standing failure to protect victims.
Empty promises and minor legal adjustments are not enough. What Serbia faces is a systemic collapse of protection, accountability, and justice.
