Trafficking victims confess to Apostolova their experiences

During 2019, 15 cases of human trafficking have been identified in Kosovo. These trafficking victims and many others that are not reported are being sexually abused by traffickers. Two of them today have related terrible experiences in front of the EU chief in Kosovo, Natalia Apostolova.

The latter has called on all victims to report such cases. For years she has been sexually abused by her husband. That's not enough for him. In their home, where they were living with their two children, he had brought his drunken companions who had misused him.

I've had the problem with my husband, I've been through it all before, but he's brought friends there, and they've been bothering me. Even my husband did not protect me, for he too is a father. Then I called the police, and I came here to this house I'm sure. I found myself here. They gave me great support. I feel safe and calm. I'm a mother, I have two children. They're with me. They're taking them to school. I've benefited a lot from your help. I've worked hard and now I've recovered. I hope that I succeed as a woman, as a mother, I have to strengthen myself to care for two children. I'm in there, and I've been selling jams. I've reached a lot of”, she said.

She's already living with her two children in the safe “House, until she added that there were very difficult economic conditions earlier, and she was surviving at 110 euros. In difficult economic conditions, and very young, even one victim of trafficking has confessed how it has been abused by five males.

There was a coffee shop and two young boys came in, and talking to them from another table, came to the table and asked them to perform illegal services. She stopped school at elementary school. The police have caught them in the air in a coffee shop, they have been arrested immediately, and this has housed”, she has said.

After staying for a year in the shelter, she had also kept up with six months of pay.

This work has been very helpful to me, and I would like to continue with it. I worked six months' pay. It was an organization in Malisheva... I don't go to school right now... I want to be myself, I want to be independent, to have my salary, my life like all women, Mahx1>, she said.

During today's visit by the chief of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova in this Gjakova tailor shop, expressed surprise at the work they are doing until she has asked all the victims to raise their voices and report such cases.

I'm impressed with the work you do. The more people you speak to, there will be less of this. I want to hear from you what you want from us... I will talk to the institution after the government's formation, for support that it is very important. Thank you for this job you are doing, we will continue to support you”, Apostolova said. /Kosovo pres/