The world, or more specifically the democratic world, occasionally lacks coherence. Instead, it makes very little sense. Such was the case when a woman was fined for being too brutal on her attacker.
Twenty-four-year-old Milica Zivkovic was walking home with a friend after a night out in the town of Kolašin, in northern Montenegro, when she found herself in a distressing situation. Milica noticed that a strange man was trailing them. While following closely behind the pair, he attempted to engage them in conversation, but the friends ignored his advances and tried to brush him off, responding with laughter.
Unfortunately, the man — only identified by initials and as a Turkish citizen — didn’t take the hint, and instead, things took a turn for the worse. Resembling the dreaded scenario that many women hope to avoid, the Montenegrin woman quickly found herself in the strange man’s clutches.
“He grabbed my chin… and then he grabbed me by my intimate part (bottom area),” Milica recalled. “Defending myself, I hit him with a closed and then open fist, which I learnt while training kickboxing for four years.”
Using all her effort and strength to fight back, Milica surprised herself by knocking her attacker unconscious. However, she would shockingly find herself in court, defending those actions, which her country found a bit too effective, even though they were against a man who had sexually assaulted her.
“In such moments you can only think of the worst. But I fought as hard as I could, and of course I knocked him out,” Milica admitted.
During court proceedings in Montenegro, one of Europe’s youngest, independent countries, according to Bored Panda, Milica was fined for her act of self-defense against the person who sexually assaulted her. Of course, this decision baffled the country’s citizens as well as social media users from around the world.
The court imposed a fine of €82 (or nearly $89 USD) against Milica for allegedly “exceeding the necessity of self-defense” and for purportedly “violating public order and peace.” Meanwhile, her assailant was only required to pay a mere €370 (or roughly $400 UDS) as a condition for his release from prison, Metro reported while another source listed the fines as “85 euros ($95)” and “300 euros ($326).”
The penalties imposed rightfully left Milica, her fellow citizens, and internet users around the globe feeling uneasy. Although she’s not someone who “sheds a tear” easily, Milica said she cried after her treatment by the judge, according to RFERL.
“I don’t know which was harder on me, the thug attack or the judge’s verdict,” Milica said of the ruling. “I left as a victim, innocent, and there I was slapped with the reality that I was guilty because I defended myself.”
She wasn’t the only one upset. In fact, thousands of people, mostly women, marched through the major cities across the Balkan nation in protest, denouncing sexual abuse and showing solidarity with Milica. Many had immense empathy for the Montenegro woman, including the country’s prime minister.
“I regret that such examples confirm how necessary we need changes in the judiciary and prosecutor’s office,” Dritan Abazović, the prime minister of Montenegro, said in a statement. “Milica was not afraid, but bravely and calmly defended herself from the bully, who eventually got the upper hand and was beaten.”
The prime minister wasn’t alone. Many disagreed with the court’s verdict, sparking debate on the country’s laws. In addition to protests, hundreds of individuals also came forward following the court’s verdict to offer to pay Milica’s fine. However, she quickly filed an appeal against the judgment — not because of the monetary aspect but in hopes of upholding justice.
The online community also voiced its concerns, showering Milica with support and calling the ruling “nonsense,” a “disgrace,” and “disgusting.” While the judge was mercilessly shamed over imposing the fine, Milica was showered with support and applauded for fighting back, and rightfully so.
One comment in particular seemed to sum up everyone’s thoughts. “What was she supposed to do?” social media user Vicky Bluff asked. “Give up and let it happen? The world’s gone mad.” According to the judge, she should have immediately called the police rather than use physical force against him to defend herself. However, those of us who live in reality know that when seconds count, the police are minutes away, and self-defense should be a basic human right.
