Tortures facing those experiencing sexual violence during the war are required to be documented

Based on statements by top state officials, in Kosovo during the recent war, there have been an estimated 20,000 victims of sexual violence.

So far, however, only 175 have been accepted the status of the victim of sexual violence, with a legal pension of about 230 euros a month.

Minire Begaj, chairman of the government Commission for recognition and verification of the status of violent persons during the recent war in Kosovo, says total have applied 890 people who claim to be victims of sexual violence.

Of this number of apps are 15 men, only six of them have received this status.

“at the country level, we've received 890 applications, of which the number of admissions is 175. A considerable number have also been involved in retirement. Of those examined, 97 were rejected for the first time, so all of them are entitled to reexamination. Currently, there are 46 cases pending interviews and we have asked for additional documents”, Begaj says.

According to the law, the victim of sexual violence in war is the person who has survived sexual abuse and rape during February 27, 1998, until June 20, 1999.

By contrast, in 2014, the Kosovo Assembly had adopted the necessary legal changes so that people of this category could regulate their status and receive their legal pension.

This crime has been a taboo subject in Kosovo's society for years, due to prejudice that sexual violence is a disgrace to family and society. In this way many of the victims have been silent.

Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman was one of the rare victims of sexual violence during the Kosovo war, which has publicly confessed its history in Kosovo, which occurred 19 years ago.

This confession, by organisations dealing with the rehabilitation of torture victims, is stressed that it could push other victims of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo to apply to win the benefits they deserve.

Mirlinda Sada, leader of the organisation “Medica Gjakova”, an organisation that offers psycho-social assistance to victims of sexual violence, says delays in recognising the status of victims of sexual violence are causing trouble.

It points to the fact that it is the first door to deal with these victims, so even nonrecognition of the status of victims of sexual violence is becoming unpleasant and is causing pessimism and uncertainty among victims.

The “Vones are from March and we haven't made any decisions as an organization, from where the apps have gone. This is a challenge that we are facing during the application period but also negative answers. We've got two negative answers and we know they've experienced sexual violence”.

After 20 years, the commission decides not to trust them for the rape incident that happened to them, which has caused disappointment. They are part of the association still without the law being adopted, and they have not known then that one day they will have retirement”, Sada says.

On the other hand, Minire Begaj says applications that have already been rejected can be reviewed, in cases when people bring additional facts.

“We have received cases of complaints, as they have a right to reconsider, in case the rejecters bring additional documents. The commission also deals with initial demands but also with review of subjects if there were complaints, having the right to review the subject. We already have 27 rejections that have exceeded the reevaluation procedure”, Begaj explains.

While the figures of 20,000 victims of sexual violence have been introduced by senior state officials, there has still not been a single case of the pronunciation of any punishment against those who committed these crimes.