The Kosovo War unfolded between 1998 and 1999. The conflict, which pitted the Serbian police, military, and paramilitary forces against the largely civilian population, claimed over 13,000 lives and deported nearly 1 million Kosovo-Albanian in one year. In the midst of this turbulent and violent period, Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) emerged as a weapon of war.
The Kosovo War bore witness to significant atrocities committed by the Yugoslav Army, Serbian Police, and Serb paramilitaries. These armed groups perpetrated widespread war crimes and crimes against humanity, deploying sexual violence as a deliberate and systematic tactic to terrorize civilians, force people from their homes, and extort money. It is believed that over 20,000 civilians, mainly women, but also men and boys fell victim to rape during the conflict.
In the aftermath of the Kosovo conflict, some international and national organisations, including the pioneer Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims KRCT(Medica Kosova, the Centre for Promotion of Women Rights, Medica Gjakova), played pivotal roles in supporting victims of CRSV and pursuing justice. They established specialised centres and programmes to provide survivors with the necessary medical, psychological, and legal assistance.
As survivors began to heal, the issue of CRSV was courageously brought into the public discourse, largely thanks to the relentless efforts of civil society under the leadership of KRCT. These efforts played a vital role in breaking the initial silence surrounding sexual violence and supporting survivors' rehabilitation and empowerment as well as their legal recognition as civilian war victims in 2014. Subsequently, in 2018, after an intensive work of KRCT mobilizing the society and institutions, the process of status recognition commenced, and survivors were granted the right to reparations, a monthly sum of 230 euros, marking an important step toward recognizing the suffering they endured.
International justice institutions in Kosovo, namely the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), have failed to bring justice for survivors. In 2021, a breakthrough occurred with Z.V. conviction for CRSV during the Kosovo war. In 2023, the Appeal Court confirmed the decision and increased the sentence, and the Kosovo Supreme Court upheld the guilty verdict, marking a significant step in achieving justice for CRSV survivors in the country. KRCT through its rehabilitation services has strengthened the survivors in their demand for justice and has initiated the case.
Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT)
Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT) is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to eradicating the violence and torture, therefore, the mission of KRCT is to protect, advance and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for survivors of torture and other forms of violence, with particular emphasis on CRSV survivors. This is to be achieved through pursuing a victim-centred approach, interdisciplinary rehabilitation and treatment, socio-economic empowerment, advocacy, policy development and institutional reforms, legal support on access to justice, awareness-raising and strengthening capacities of targeted audiences and key stakeholders, as well as documentation and research.
Since its foundation (1999), KRCT has served as a helping hand for more than 18,000 individuals and their families who have directly or indirectly benefited from its services. Of this total, KRCT has provided psychosocial and legal services to more than 10,000 trauma survivors and family members of survivors who were impacted by the war. There are also around 800 survivors of sexual violence that are currently registered to or already underwent treatment with KRCT to aid in their recovery.
Over the 25 years, significant milestones have marked KRCT’s journey in addressing conflict- related sexual violence (CRSV) in Kosovo which reflected on responsive systems towards CRSV survivors. A pivotal accomplishment is the recognition of legal status for survivors of sexual violence during the Kosovo war (1998-1999). KRCT’s relentless advocacy culminated in the commencement of the application process for official recognition in February 2018, aiding around 700 survivors in gaining legal acknowledgment by benefiting a monthly pension. Tackling the deep-seated taboo surrounding sexual crimes in a fragile post-conflict society, KRCT has spearheaded 12 local and national campaigns to raise awareness and address the needs of survivors. One of these significant campaigns, “Be My Voice,” initiated by KRCT, established a platform uniting NGOs such as the Center for the Promotion of Women’s Rights, Medica Gjakova and Medica Kosova. This coalition endeavours to advance the rights and representation of wartime sexual violence survivors, ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met. One of the biggest achievements is the formalisation of April 14th as the Memorial Day for CRSV survivors by the President’s office, honouring their resilience and
acknowledging their experiences. Another milestone was achieved in 2021, KRCT, in collaboration with the Danish DIGNITY Institute, Copenhagen University Hospital, and Monash University, published research on the intergenerational effects of maternal PTSD. This research confirms that the trauma experienced due to sexual violence during the war in Kosovo can be transmitted across generations. Based on the outcome of the study, family systematic therapy is incorporated in the therapeutic approaches involving children of survivor mothers exposed to PTSD.
Finally, KRCT has set up the first database/registry that documents exclusively crimes of sexual violence committed during the war. To this date, there are 1300 CRSV cases documented. This database is helpful for addressing the needs and requests of CRSV survivors, establishing the truth, supporting them to achieve justice, changing laws and policies, and contributing to prevention.
Website: www.krct.org
Email address: info@krct.org
Phone number: +383 38 243 707
Address: Str. Hamëz Jashari 16b/2, 10000, Prishtinë, Kosovë
Facebook: www.facebook.com/QKRMT/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/qkrmt