An important panel with the topic: “Support for survivors of sexual violence during the war” was organized in Prizren, within the scope of the documentary film festival “Dokufest”. This panel was moderated by the women’s rights activist and Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) Executive Director Igballe Rogova. Panellists included: Bakira Hasecic, executive Director of the Association of Women Victims of War, Flora Macula from UN Women, Veprore Shehu from Medica Kosova and Danish documentary filmmaker Katia Forbert Petersona where they discussed for sexual violence during the war in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Peterson is the co-director of the documentary film “Mission Rape: A Tool of War” which was screened at DokuFest and in which Hasecic tells her story during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“I am only one of thousands of women raped during the aggression in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Hasecic. “At that time my daughters were 16 and 19 years old. I would never have believed that my neighbour from the other ethnicity could do such evil to fellow citizens, just because you don’t belong to his ethnic group.”
The discussion covered the consequences for the survivors, society and the importance of justice and reparation.
Veprore Shehu from Medica Kosova shared their experience on how difficult it is for them to offer services for survivors, as it was considered a taboo topic right after the war.
Women’s rights organizations were the first who raised their voices for the recognition of the status of women survivors of sexual violence during the war. In 2012, KWN organized a protest with the motto:We don’t want flowers we want justice for women raped during the war”. And in response to concerns and issues raised by women who had suffered sexual violence The President of Republic of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga established the National Council for Survivors of Sexual Violence during the War on Mar. 7, where KWN is a member.