Security aspect of domestic violence in Montenegro: Perception of the citizens

Abstract

Domestic violence can be viewed as a potential risk and security threat, a form of conscious, intentional, internal threat to the integrity and existence of other people, primarily family members. Viewing domestic violence as a security phenomenon additionally indicates the seriousness of the problem, which requires urgent action by all relevant social actors. The paper presents the results of a part of the empirical research that I carried out in the period from February 1 to June 30, 2020, which included 522 citizens from the entire territory of Montenegro, with the aim of examining the citizens' perception of the phenomenon of domestic violence as a risk factor for human security. The research revealed that the majority of citizens of Montenegro have widespread awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence and domestic violence as a security problem. However, the data differ by region, and citizens from the North of Montenegro, compared to citizens from the south and central regions, are the least likely to perceive domestic violence as a high degree of threat to human security and are the least likely to report violence. Every country and its citizens have an obligation to approach the phenomenon of domestic violence as a security problem and undertake all necessary activities, interventions and measures in order to reduce the number and frequency of new cases, reduce the direct and indirect consequences for victims and society and prevent the impact of domestic violence on the appearance of other forms of violence and vice versa, which is important for all levels of security in a society.