Gender Equality in Penal Policy Against Stalking in Croatia

Nametljivo je ponašanje kao oblik kaznenog djela u Kazneni zakon RH uvedeno 2013. godine no i dalje postoje problemi s određivanjem istog. Ono je upozorenje za buduće nasilje, uzrok je psihološke štete i oblik viktimizacije. Počinitelji nametljivog ponašanja dijele se na odbijene, tražitelje intime, nekompetentne, ogorčene i predatore. S obzirom na to da su žrtve nametljivog ponašanja u većini slučajeva žene, često se zanemaruje činjenica da ovo kazneno djelo nije rodno specifično. Iako je kroz studije dokazano da se žene počinitelji znatno ne razlikuju od muškaraca, zbog rodnih predrasuda često dolazi do podcjenjivanja potencijala žene na nasilje. Cilj ove studije slučaja je utvrditi postoji li ravnopravnost spolova u kaznenoj politici prema nametljivom ponašanju u Hrvatskoj. Kako bi odgovorila na ovo pitanje, autorica provodi analizu sudskih presuda sa različitih sudova u Hrvatskoj, a kroz anketni upitnik dobiva uvid u percepciju građana u Hrvatskoj o ovom kaznenom djelu.Stalking as a form of criminal offense was introduced in the Penal Code of the Republic of Croatia in 2013, but there are still problems with defining it precisely. It is a warning for future violence, cause of psychological damage and a form of victimization. Stalkers are divided into five categories: rejected stalkers, intimacy seekers, incompetent suitors, resentful stalkers and predatory stalkers. Given that the victims of stalking in most cases are women, the fact that this crime is not gender specific is often overlooked. Although studies have shown that female stalkers do not differ significantly from male ones, gender bias often leads to an underestimation of women’s potential for violence. The aim of this case study is to determine whether the gender equality in criminal policy towards stalking exist in Croatia. In order to answer this question, the author conducts an analysis of court judgements from various courts in the Republic of Croatia and through a survey questionnaire she gets an insight into the perception of citizens in Croatia about stalking