Since its establishment, domestic violence has been the focus of the work of NGO "Women's center".  Accordingly, most of the activities were turned to this direction and the result is increasing reports of domestic violence in Trebinje municipality, as a consequence of the encouragement of the victim and return of trust into Institutions with support and assistance of our organization.  To adequately answer to this challenge, we created a net of actors in the local community, built on moral obligations and trusted by everyone.  Namely, in 2004, a Protocol on cooperation was signed, which defines obligations and cooperation between the Women's center and eighteen governmental and nongovernmental bodies with the goal of combating domestic violence in an organized manner and to provide necessary support to the victim.  Signatories of the Agreement were Trebinje municipality, Center of Public Safety Trebinje,Welfare Center, Trebinje, Out-patient clinic Trebinje, Public prosecutor's office which covers the entire region of East Herzegovina including Foca, media (including the TV unit in Trebinje), all primary and high schools, four kindergartens and the Red Cross.  Since this Agreement was general, during this year Protocols on cooperation have been signed, which clearly define the rights and obligations of the aforementioned actors. This example may serve to all other municipalities/countries in the surrounding as an example of good practice.  Throughout the year, individual and joint meetings were held with signatories of the Agreement and Protocol in order to exchange opinion and information regarding previous and projected activities, experiences and problems.

Protocol on cooperation between the Center of Public Safety Trebinje, Welfare center Trebinje and Women's center Trebinje was endorsed September 9^th, 2005 in Trebinje.  As a result of this cooperation, several joint operations have been carried out, which resulted in improved support to victims and their increased protection.  Education for professionals was organized, improved information flow was established as well as team work.  These two institutions also forward beneficiaries, who are in need of our help, to us (SOS line, legal aid and court representation, psychosocial support, doctor on Mondays, creative center for children and others).  The result of our cooperation is a synchronized chain of support towards the victim, which simultaneously has a warning effect upon the perpetrator, encourages the victim, renders available and timely information, encourages the victim, develops volunteering and team work, recognizes the need for capacity building within Institutions as well as their joint education, utilizes common resources and programs for victims of domestic violence (SOS line, charge-free legal aid and court representation, psycho-social support, and others).  Although we have had, since the beginning of our work, generally speaking, good cooperation with the police, by means of this Protocol we've strengthened it additionally and secured it on grounds of partnership.

Protocol on cooperation between NGO Women's center, Trebinje and the Out-patient clinic in Trebinje, signed October 24^th, 2005 in Trebinje.  According to the Protocol, proposed drawings have been adopted, of men/women, boys/girls  on which the doctor indicates the point of injury, in order to increase the visual effect along with issuing an injury list.  This sketch map, introduced following an educational tour to Sweden, provided for us by Kvinna till Kvinna, was adapted to our circumstances, certified by doctors, along with the injury list submitted to the police, which forwards it to the Prosecutor and court.  According to information at our disposal, this sketch map has begun to be utilized not only for victims of domestic violence but also for other injuries, which are processed by the police and who have declared it as an example of good practice.  Aside from this, the Emergency ward commenced with recording statistics on family trees of both the        perpetrator and victim, which has not been a practice so far.  We have reached an agreement with the Children's clinic according to which, during routine and other check-up, in cases when evidence of violence are traced, including neglect, the Welfare center or our NGO are contacted immediately, which has not been a practice up to now.  As a result of this kind of cooperation, one life has already been saved: a girl was facing anorexia and by involving the Welfare center, the parents were alerted thus, with adequate medical therapy and supervision, the difficulty was overcome.

Through GAP, we provided the Out-patient clinic in Trebinje with an ultrasound apparatus with a vaginal probe and secured our beneficiaries with charge-free gynecological and ultrasound examination.

Protocol on cooperation with the Trebinje kindergartens "Our joy", "St. Eugenija and Empress Milica", "Wonderland" and "Ciciban", was signed October 28^th, 2005 in Trebinje.  Each kindergarten took upon itself the obligation to provide charge free, full day service for two children from families affected with domestic violence.

This is a unique example in BiH in which different actors within the society are engaged voluntarily  to attend to and support victims of domestic violence in such a manner.  For these children, this mode of support is especially significant, because it enables separation from dysfunctional families for several hours, in an environment with entertainment and laughter, which helps the child to relax and overcome the trauma with full attention of the teachers.  For the families, this assistance is a financial relief because domestic violence generates a new category of pauper people because the victim is deprived of personal property and financial means by the perpetrator.  For our partners - the kindergartens, our organization provided education in how to recognize violence against children and is at their disposal if they have additional needs.