A woman in Montenegro was fined for fighting back against a man who sexually assaulted her. According to Radio Free Europe (RFE), Milica Zivkovic went to court as a victim but was told by the judge that she "exceeding the necessity of self-defence". The judge acknowledged that her harasser used physical force against the 24-year-old but found her response "too much". Ms Zivkovic was fined 85 euros and ordered to pay the cost of a court translator for her alleged abuser.
"I don't know which was harder on me, the thug attack or the judge's verdict," the woman told RFE.
She said she doesn't shed tears easily but cried after the judgement. "I was slapped with the reality that I was guilty because I defended myself," said Ms Zivkovic.
According to UK-based Metro, the incident took place earlier this month when Ms Zivkovic was walking home with a friend after a night out at the town of Kolasin.
The man tried to speak to the women, but they laughed it off.
The woman said the attacker first grabbed her chin and then groped her.
"Defending myself, I hit him with a closed and then open fist, which I learnt while training kickboxing for four years. 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," she was quoted as saying by the outlet.
But the judge questioned why she didn't immediately call the police rather than use physical force against him herself. He also said that Ms Zivkovic "physically attacked the man in the way that she hit him several times, with a closed and open fist, in the area of the head and body".
The punishment given to her has been criticised by a number of women's rights organisations in Montenegro. Even Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic that the "devastating decision" confirms the need for judicial reforms.
He even telephoned Ms Zivkovic to offer "sincere support on behalf of the government", as per RFE.
