The OSCE Mission to Montenegro, in co-operation with the Supreme Court of Montenegro and the Judicial Training Centre, hosted a three-day court simulation training aimed at strengthening institutional responses to violence against women and girls, with a particular focus on marital rape.
Held from 28 to 30 April in Budva, the training brought together 15 participants, including judges from the High and Basic Courts, prosecutors, and police officers. The simulation followed the full course of a criminal case—from initial police reporting, indictment drafting, and court hearings, to the delivery of a final verdict.
Participants also examined international legal standards and good practices, focusing on how to apply them effectively within the Montenegrin legal system, particularly in relation to the handling and admissibility of evidence.
Opening the event, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Jan Haukaas, emphasized that addressing marital rape is both a legal and societal challenge that requires professionalism, courage, and compassion. "Addressing marital rape requires confronting entrenched myths, dismantling harmful stereotypes, and above all, placing the survivor's rights, dignity, and safety at the centre of our work. This simulation is more than a training exercise—it is a call to action to ensure that justice is never denied because of silence, stigma, or misconceptions," said Haukaas.
Maša Adžić, Director of the Secretariat of Judicial Training Centre, underscored the value of a multi-sectoral and well-informed approach in handling such cases. "Our goal is to ensure that all professionals who work with victims are trained to apply protection standards, prevent further violence, and appropriately sanction perpetrators," stated Adžić.
Echoing this, Bojana Bandović, Advisor to the Supreme Court of Montenegro, stressed the need to remove stigma and treat marital rape with the seriousness it deserves."It is essential to address this issue without prejudice and stereotypes, with full respect for the rights and dignity of the victims," Bandović stated.
This is the third court simulation training organized by the OSCE Mission, the Supreme Court of Montenegro and the Judicial Training Centre. Previous sessions, held in September 2023 and May 2024, have served as important platforms for exchanging of best practices and developing innovative strategies to combat violence against women and girls.