The Media continues to report countless cases of violence against women in  Kosovo. Some of these cases include murder with metal rod, murder with an axe, and murder with a gun by their husbands. 

According to recent media reports, a woman in Skenderaj was stabbed 10 times by her husband, in the chest, abdomen and other areas. The suspect was arrested, and only charged with “attempted murder”. 

What comes after this? How long for violence against women to stop being treated lightly? What justice awaits this woman? 

There will be no justice for Donjeta Pajazitaj, or Valbona Marku – Nrecaj and her daughter. There will be no justice for the late S.M who, in July of this year, was killed by her husband in Kamenica. 

Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN) expresses its deep resentment for the lenient charge of “attempted murder”, pledging at the same time that we will raise our voices to seek justice for this woman, and for any other woman who has been raped, injured and murdered. 

Since 2019, domestic violence is a criminal offense in the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo, thanks to the efforts of several women’s organizations. Although all of these actions have been taken to criminalize domestic violence, KWN’s “From Words to Action?” research (2017) found that there was a major lack of implementation from institutions, like the Police, Prosecutors Office, and Courts for punishing cases of gender-based violence. 

Violence against women continues to be one of the least punished forms of violence. 

KWN will monitor the response of the institutions to this case and will use all legal opportunities to combat this in Kosovo. KWN will not stop until violence against women is punished to the highest extent of the law, and institutions begin taking it seriously.