The case of Bernadett Orosz has received wide publicity in Hungary. The young woman from Miskolc, mother of six children, was abused by her ex-boyfriend, a military officer, who had beaten her face with his fist and tried to strangle her. He admitted the assault, though he claimed to tabloid paper Bors that he did not remember anything. The victim’s injuries were so horrible that even the police officer handling her case said: no such brutal attack had ever been carried out against a woman.
This is not why Bernadett Orosz’s story became nationally known, however. What got her on the front page of newspapers was that she came out as a battered woman on her Facebook page, showing her injuries and naming the perpetrator, in order to call public attention to the problem of domestic abuse. The perpetrator then sued her for slander and demands 5 million Forints for compensation
And here is the twist: Bernadett Orosz faces a trial for slander before the perpetrator, who is not in detention, has to go to court for physical abuse. The court procedure in the criminal case for injuries healing in over 8 days has not even started, although over 8 months have passed since the abuse. The regional court did extend the restraining order against the perpetrator, but the results of the slander case are yet to be known.
The trial is going to be held in Miskolc, on August 26th. Hungarian women’s organizations are organizing a solidarity protest on that day in front of the courthouse; those interested should contact Nőkért Association. https://www.facebook.com/events/3153420581377820/
