Croatian Victim and Witness Support Service

In line with its vision and mission, the Victims and Witnesses Support Association has been focused on realizing the rights and improving the social status and status of victims and witnesses since its inception (2006) by providing support aimed at reducing trauma and discomfort in testifying and through advocacy for development and improving the legislative and institutional framework for the protection of the rights of victims and witnesses and for better enforcement of existing laws in the Republic of Croatia. It was founded with the desire to change the situation in which victims and witnesses are left to themselves when they come to court, without information about what awaits them and who they can turn to for the help they need.

Throughout the years, the Association has worked intensively to improve the support system and through its achievements has greatly contributed to the development of policies, programs and directly participated, as a member of the Commission, in the development of the National Strategy for the Development of Victims and Witness Support Systems in the Republic of Croatia for the period 2016-2020. 2018th to 2019th The Association had a substitute member on the Committee on Remuneration for Crime Victims. Since 2019, the Association has members of the County Team for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, both in Vukovar-Srijem and Varaždin Counties.

Today, the Association operates through Reference Centers in Vukovar and Osijek, the National Call Center for Victims of Crime and Misdemeanors in Zagreb and offices in Varaždin (Counseling Center for Victims of Domestic Violence). In the de-institutionalization process, it is important to encourage and support the development of underdeveloped services that provide customer support in the communities in which they live, which encourage greater autonomy and independent living and greater accessibility of services to rural residents, as well as more systematic involvement of associations as service providers and developing collaborative relationships between different providers of public and civil sector representatives. One of the key problems is the lack of availability of social services for users who need them,