The case from the Tuzla Canton, where police officers are suspected of sexually exploiting residents of a home for neglected children, opened up an issue that goes beyond this canton. “I assure you that every environment has an identical case,” security experts warn. Saša Petrović, FUP inspector, Adi Pejdah from the Safe Internet Center, and Gorica Ivić from the Banja Luka Safe House (United Women) spoke for N1 about why the most vulnerable are at the greatest risk and where the system fails.
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The Tuzla Cantonal Court ordered the detention of eight persons suspected of exploiting two girls (15) for the purpose of prostitution
Video/Prosecutor Lejla Gazibegović–Begović on the investigation in which police officers and a university professor were arrested: ‘We must respect the interests of the investigation, but also the interests of the children themselves’
FUP inspector: “These are not policemen, these are non-humans”
FUP Inspector Saša Petrović harshly condemned the suspected colleagues: “Policemen? These are not policemen, these are non-humans who have wandered into the police. Every agency has a rogue in it.”
Although he praised the investigation by the Interior Ministry, Petrović warned of a problem within the system: “No one can convince me that certain police officers did not know about such things… our reputation is being destroyed by people like this… who pass security checks in some way.”
Gorica Ivić: “Children who are already victims of domestic violence are at the greatest risk”
Gorica Ivić from the association “Udružene žene” Banjaluka pointed out that children who have already experienced domestic violence are at a much greater risk of additional exploitation.
She presented shocking data for the RS: “From 2020 to the first half of 2024, the Centers for Social Work recorded a total of 2,639 child victims of domestic violence.”
“During the same period, he stayed in a safe house 94 children, and 72 women. So we had more children than women…children who already have experience…are at greater risk.” The key problem: “Why don’t children trust anyone?”
Gorica Ivić asked a key question – why victims do not report violence earlier.
“We have to ask why these children don’t speak up, why they don’t trust anyone to confide in… but we find out when the criminal offense has already happened, when we have already worked on the consequences, not on prevention,” Ivić pointed out.
Pejdah: “Recruitment has moved to the Internet”
Adi Pejdah from the Safer Internet Center confirmed that recruitment for human trafficking is increasingly happening in the digital environment, through fake ads for modeling or jobs abroad, which affects children regardless of their origin.
“What used to be recruited in cafes, now more and more is moving to the digital environment,” said Pejdah, adding that the Center (sikurodijete.ba) often receives reports of these dangers.
We do not have crisis centers for victims of sexual violence
The lack of systemic support after the violence is discovered is also a problem. Gorica Ivić warns that BiH, despite international obligations, does not have specialized crisis centers.
“We don’t have crisis and referral centers to support victims of sexual violence… we have situations… where victims are referred for psychological support within a month or two of an incident.”
She adds that non-governmental organizations and safe houses are currently carrying too much of a burden, providing support to both victims of domestic violence and victims of sexual violence, which should be the system’s responsibility.
(TYPE/Source: N1/Photo: FTV)
