LIE AND VIOLENCE AS A WAY OF GOVERNANCE

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, announced the “largest gathering in the history of Serbia” for Saturday, April 12. Hundreds of buses arrived at the support rally, with 10 even coming from Macedonia. However, the turnout was much smaller than the protests organized by citizens and students. During this time, the President read out letters of support on a TV program. Among them was a letter from a boy who mentioned Novak Djokovic, the tennis player. However, the president read out the name of Nikola Jokić, the basketball player. The reason: Djokovic supports the students.

A lie can be innocent or random, but when it is organized, it becomes violence. And when that violence comes from the highest levels of government, it spawns various other forms of oppression, many that often go unnoticed, says Sofia.

Violence has become so contagious, and there is so much of it around us, that some have even become deaf and blind to it, that they don’t even notice it anymore.

https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/bar-crna-gora-perspektiva-mentalno-zdravlje/33281083.html

Mariam points out that the situation is even worse.

No one is allowed to express their opinion. The only way to do so is through fake profiles, often gathering several under one name.

https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/pespektiva-mladi-bar/33264140.html

Young people on the show PERSPEKTIVA highlight violence against women, children, and within schools. Tina, Rada, and Olena discuss the victim mentality.

What we allow, we promote. Essentially, if we permit someone to treat us in a certain way, we must be prepared to tolerate it. I have to say that I am disturbed by the victim mentality that today’s generations so often embrace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLbmsV9b07o&ab_channel=RadioSlobodnaEvropa

The child is stigmatized instead of those who commit crimes or perpetrate violence against that child.

https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/31197904.html

There is a problem where victims aren’t even sure if they have the right to seek help, but also often have some internal barrier. It’s simply a fear of showing weakness and admitting they are in trouble to others. They worry that if they speak up and report it, they’ll be dismissed with comments like, “It’s nothing,” “It’s just a prank,” or “He’s just trying to get your attention.”

https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/pespektiva-mladi-bar/33264140.html

If the government does sanction violence against students, where should young people turn for help? Parents? Schools? The police? Davor, Damijana, and Ivona provide their responses.

In general, people say we should turn to our parents or the police, but there’s always a fear of rejection or judgment. When I was sexually harassed, and I spoke out about it as a man, people laughed. ‘You’re a man, how could you be sexually harassed? You must wanted it, it’s in your blood.’ But I’m not an animal; I’m a human being.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDl1k2p9baM

If we report violence at school, we’re often called names like ‘weakling’ or ‘coward’ by society, as if we should have been able to handle it ourselves.

https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-mladi-bar/33273072.html

It has happened to me many times that when I’ve complained about the same person repeatedly, I was told, ‘He’s just like that, ignore him, he’s a boy, he likes you.’ I was physically hit and mentally harassed for months, yet I was told, ‘Oh, he doesn’t mean it. You know whose son he is, there’s nothing I can do about it.’ The people who harass are protected, and the victims suffer even more when they speak out because it only leads to further torment.