Systemic Silence: Breaking the Pattern

By Doku.ba

Systemic Silence: Breaking the Pattern is a documentary film produced by doku.ba that explores gender-based violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Through conversations with safe house coordinators, police officers, social workers, prosecutors, psychologists, and survivors, the film examines the complexity of this deeply rooted social issue and the systems surrounding it.

The film raises urgent questions: what drives gender-based violence; what do recent statistics on femicide reveal about society; and what can each of us—regardless of profession or role—do to help reduce violence against women to zero?

Femicide, the killing of women motivated by their gender, is rarely a sudden act. It is most often the final stage of a prolonged pattern of abuse – beginning with threats, stalking, and coercive control, and escalating into physical violence. Research and lived experience show it most often occurs when the perpetrator perceives a loss of control, particularly when a woman decides to leave, report violence, or assert independence.
  The documentary is not only about the consequences of violence, but also about the possibilities of its prevention. The film opens the space for the recognition that cases of femicide in BiH are a systemic problem, increases understanding of the problem and recognizes the obligation to create a safer environment for everyone. The aim of the film is to open public dialogue, deepen understanding of gender-based violence, and encourage collective responsibility in addressing and preventing it.

Alongside the documentary production, Doku.ba also created a Guide for Media and Journalists Investigating and Reporting on Gender-Based Violence. The publication captures the key insights and lessons learned during the documentary’s development and production process. You can download the Guide here: The film is developed with the support of Innovation. Media. Minds.: EU support for public interest journalism in the Western Balkans, implemented by the Goethe-Institut Bosnia and Herzegovina on behalf of the European Commission, in cooperation with DW Akademie. The content of this film is the sole responsibility of the Association Doku.ba and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.