Strengthening trauma-informed responses to trafficking and GBV: Training for professionals in Subotica

Subotica, September 17, 2025 

NGO Atina organized a one-day training in Subotica, bringing together 20 professionals from the northern region of Serbia, including police officers, prosecutors, judges, and social workers from the local Center for Social Work. Given the city's strategic border location, participants regularly engage with the migrant population and play a critical role in identifying and assisting victims of trafficking and gender-based violence.

The training was opened by Đerđi Seleši, Coordinator of the Local Team for Combating Human Trafficking in Subotica, who emphasized the importance of multisectoral cooperation in responding to the complex challenges of trafficking in the context of migration. She noted that Subotica's location along a major migration route increases individuals' exposure to exploitation, underscoring the need for timely, coordinated institutional action.

Dragana Ćuk Milankov, a psychotherapist, led the sessions. The program focused on practical communication skills and on understanding the impact of trauma on victims' behavior and testimony, promoting the use of trauma-informed interviewing techniques that protect victims' dignity and reduce the risk of retraumatization.

Participants examined the psychological and neuropsychological effects of trauma, including stress, memory loss, and confabulation, and practiced techniques such as active listening, open-ended questioning, paraphrasing, and emotional regulation. They were also introduced to the UK manual "Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings," and its applicability in the Serbian context was discussed.

Throughout the day, participants explored how trauma affects perception, orientation, and communication, and how building trust and a psychologically safe environment enables more accurate and ethical information gathering.

Evaluation results confirmed the training's high relevance and practicality. Seventeen participants completed evaluation forms, expressing intense satisfaction with the content, methodology, and trainers' expertise. Many highlighted that the knowledge gained could be directly applied in their daily work and that trauma-informed communication tools were particularly valuable for future cases.

This activity was part of Atina's broader capacity-building efforts to strengthen Serbia's protection system and improve institutional responses to human trafficking and gender-based violence, ensuring that survivors receive professional, sensitive, and coordinated support.

This event has been organized as part of the project "Women at the Crossroads: Strengthening the Response to Modern Slavery, Smuggling, and Gender-Based Violence Among Migrants in Serbia," implemented by the NGO Atina with the support of the British Embassy in Belgrade.