On February 25, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb, organized by the BaBe association, aFinal conference of the SURF and SOUND project – Support, Unite, Respond, Fight to Stop Online violence 2.0The conference opened a space for a comprehensive discussion on the problem of online violence against women in Croatia, bringing together experts from various fields to consider the legal, institutional and practical aspects of this topic. The event emphasized the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach in combating 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 setting appropriate sanctions for perpetrators.
Anja Belic, Advisor at the Office of the Ombudsperson for Gender Equality, presented the legal framework for 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, which would ultimately create a safer online environment.
Suncana Roksandic, Head of the Department of Criminal Law, Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, presented the legal regulation of the criminal offense of misuse of a recording of sexually explicit content. In her presentation, she talked about the gaps in the current legislation and the importance of updating the legal provisions in order to respond to new challenges in the digital era.
Renato Grguric, Head of the Cyber Security Service of the Police Directorate, gave a presentation on access to digital evidence, highlighting the investigative challenges that arise in online crimes. He explained in detail the procedures followed by the police in tracking cybercriminals and emphasized the necessity of cooperation with international agencies in the fight against cross-border online threats.
Krunoslav Stjepan Rajacic, Deputy County State Attorney at the County Prosecutor's Office in Zagreb, shared real-life cases of the crime of misappropriation 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 County Court in Velika Gorica, She 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 BaBe Be active. Be emancipated. in collaboration with Agency for Electronic Media, with the support of Ministry of the Interior and the Judicial AcademyThe project in question was financed by the European Union from the CERC program and co-financed by the Office for Cooperation with NGOs.
