Three Domestic Violence Reports in Two Days: Two Men Detained, and for the Third, Who According to the Report Attacked His Wife With a Hard Object, the Police Write "Measures Are Being Taken"

In Veles on October 30, at 11:50, police detained T.Sh. (82). According to the report, he attacked his 72-year-old wife in the family home with a wooden object and threatened her. The object was found and seized, and a public prosecutor was informed.

The evening before, on October 29 at 19:45, a 47-year-old man was detained in Ohrid after, according to the report, he was aggressive toward family members and tried to attack his wife.

The third case is from Skopje. On October 31 at 03:00, a 24-year-old woman reported that at around 13:00 the previous day, in the family home in the Bit Pazar area, she was attacked by her husband A.Z. (24). According to the report, he injured her with a hard object and made threats against her and her family. The woman also stated that he had psychologically and physically abused her before.

Fourteen hours passed between the attack and the report. For that case the police bulletin says measures are being taken to clear it up, without a word about the reported man being detained. Maybe the next piece of information will say more. But when a woman reports injuries, threats and earlier abuse at three in the morning, the first question is simple: where will she sleep tomorrow night?

The allegations still have to be proven. What can already be said is that none of these men is a victim of circumstance: whoever raised a hand chose to do so himself, in his own home. The institutions come after that, and that's exactly where the second question lies. Who protects the woman while the clearing up goes on?