Hope of redress for survivors of rape during the war in Kosovo
In Kosovo women activists celebrated the International Women’s Day with a manifestation for the women who were raped during the war 13 years ago. At the same time the first of these cases are being considered for trial.
The manifestation was organized by the Kosovo Women’s Network, KWN, that gathers over 80 women’s organizations. This was the first time the situation for the victims were being officially addressed. According to UN numbers tens of thousands of women were raped during the conflict in Kosovo, but so far no systematic investigation has been done and none of the offenders have been brought to trial.
KWN demand justice for the victims and want them to receive compensation from the State. Today these women are not covered by laws that give veterans a pension, health care and other support.
Important first case
The EU mission in place in Kosovo, EULEX, is investigating the first of these rape cases to possibly be taken to trial. The woman says she was raped for over two days in a house in the Dukagjini region. More than 70 women were trapped in the house by Serbian troops or militia groups during a period in 1999.
Women’s organization Medica Kosova, that provides psychosocial support to women victims of sexual abuse, assists the woman.
- If the perpetrator is convicted more women will probably dare to testify. Therefore, this case is so important, says Veprore Shehu from Medica Kosovo.
Victims stigmatized
She explains that it was easier to get witnesses to come forward directly after the war. Women in refugee camps spoke out, even to media, but many of them regretted it afterwards.
- They got no protection and suffered hard from the stigma attached to rape. Many women don’t dare to talk about what happened to them of fear of being marginalized. It has happened that husbands have left their wives when they have told their stories. Due to the silence and lack of justice the trauma for these women has increased, she says.
Kosovo Women’s Network report that the Kosovo Parliament after the manifestation has held a discussion about sexual violence during the war. The Kosovo Minister of Integration also invited KWN to a meeting the 9th of March to ask their advice on how the government can support women in the future. KWN suggested that they’d start a parliamentarian group to look at the possibilities of a new legislation, and that they’d cooperate with EULEX and support their investigations./KVINNATILLKVINNA