February 25, 2025 at the Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb, organized by BaBe association. the final conference of the project SURF and SOUND – Support, Unite, Respond, Fight to Stop Online violence 2.0 was held. The conference opened a space for a comprehensive discussion on the problem of online violence against women in Croatia, bringing together experts from different fields to consider the legal, institutional and practical aspects of this topic. The event emphasized the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach in the fight against online violence and ensuring effective legal protection for victims.
Petra Kontic , president of the BaBe association , opened the conference with an introductory speech and presentation of the SURF and SOUND 2.0 project, highlighting its goals of raising awareness and creating a safer digital environment. Kontić emphasized that the project has improved and enhanced already established mechanisms for preventing and combating online violence, such as the NEON platform, which provides information, advice and tools for self-help and reporting violence. In addition, existing direct support services have been expanded, including IT support and the support of a Person of Trust, in addition to the already available legal and psychological assistance for victims. Among the key results, Kontić pointed to an increased understanding of the phenomenon of online violence against women. Changing attitudes and behaviors contributes to stronger support for victims and the imposition of appropriate sanctions for perpetrators.
Anja Belic , Advisor at the Office of the Gender Equality Ombudsperson , presented the legal framework of online violence in Croatia, explaining the current legislative measures and the challenges in their implementation. She highlighted the need for further legislative improvements to ensure better protection of victims and accountability of perpetrators.
Anita Malenica, member of the Council of the Agency for Electronic Media, presented the national campaign within the SURF and SOUND 2.0 project, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness and preventing online violence against women. Malenica emphasized the importance of educating the media about online violence so that the media can then promote responsible reporting and contribute to a broader conversation on the topic, ultimately creating a safer online environment.
Suncana Roksandic , Head of the Department of Criminal Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb , presented the legal regulation of the criminal offense of misuse of sexually explicit content. In her presentation, she spoke about the gaps in current legislation and the importance of updating legal provisions to respond to new challenges in the digital era.
Renato Grguric , Head of the Cybersecurity Service of the Police Directorate, gave a presentation on access to digital evidence, highlighting the challenges in investigations that arise in online crimes. He explained in detail the procedures that the police follow in tracking cyber criminals and stressed the necessity of cooperation with international agencies in combating cross-border online threats.
Krunoslav Stjepan Rajacic , Deputy County State Attorney at the Zagreb County Prosecutor's Office, shared real-life cases of the criminal offense of misuse of sexually explicit footage, providing a practical perspective on legal proceedings. In his presentation, he discussed specific legal precedents and the challenges prosecutors face in securing convictions, especially when dealing with anonymous perpetrators and rapidly evolving digital platforms.
Ivana Bilušić, judge of the Velika Gorica County Court, concluded her presentation with an analysis of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights on online violence against women, emphasizing the importance of international legal standards. She provided an analysis of key cases and their implications for the Croatian legal system, emphasizing the need to harmonize national laws with European regulations.
The SURF and SOUND 2.0 project is aimed at combating online violence against women and is implemented by the association Baby. Be active. Be emancipated. in cooperation with the Agency for Electronic Media , with the support of the Ministry of the Interior and the Judicial Academy . The project in question is financed by the European Union from the CERF program and co-financed by the Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
