5 minutes agoPainful story of the victim of sexual violence that came to motivate the violated in Kosovo
Periskopi(7 years ago)
(7 years ago)Twenty years ago, in 1999, a 21-year-old man named Claire McFarelan was dragged into a Parisn alley near his bar. She was sexually violated, beaten, and stabbed. She was left in the alley after the assailant thought she was dead. But she survived, and from that night she started fighting [...]
She was sexually violated, beaten, and stabbed. She was left in the alley after the assailant thought she was dead.
But she survived, and from that night she started fighting French prejudices, complexes, and justice to bring to justice what caused her suffering that night.
The rapist was caught only 10 years after the incident through DNA paving the way for hearings in courts, a process that totaled 16 years and ended in October 2015.
Claire decided to tell the world what was possible only in 2014, and a year later, even when the Saga ended with justice, she decided to undertake a social initiative with the aim of fighting sexual violence peacefully. Indeed, a movement called “Movement to Inspire”, a global sports movement calling for an end to sexual violence against women and girls, while the initiative to run is called “Footsteps to Inspire”.
She runs 15 miles [16 km] to the beach, so long as justice is served. The purpose of this activity is to discuss sex violence with his associates.
20 years after that night's event, McFarlane made Kosovo her 48th country in which she runs to say stop sexual violence, knowing that in the same year many Kosovo women had experienced the same trauma during the war that took place in Kosovo. Even though Kosovo has no beach, Claire ran by the Lumbardh River in Prizren.
She admits that talking about the matter is very difficult, and it takes great courage.
Talking about sexual violence and rape is very difficult and difficult for people. Running is a peaceful way to discuss this matter in a safe place, but we don't need to talk much, just to be together in solidarity”, she said.
McFarlane is familiar with the painful history of war in Kosovo and that many women have experienced the suffering and trauma of sexual violence.
Australians have encouraged Kosovo women to talk openly about their pain. For society and the state, there was a request to support all victims of sexual violence, as she said services for this category are missing in Kosovo.
I think we should talk more about this and not feel ashamed. Also from what I have learned, victims in Kosovo do not have many services available, and if someone suffers sexual violence today, they cannot get much help. My recommendation is to address and talk to organizations and find the way they can help you and the state improve these services”, she said.
To support the Australian cause, Albena Resiti, adviser to Kosovo Prime Minister, who said that by co-operating with various organisations, they are trying to help victims of sexual violence, but also to try to bring to justice all those who committed these crimes during the war. McFarlane today was supported by local organisations such as the Association of Persons with Kosovo's Mouscular Distrophy, Fem reachable, as well as the Prizren Centre for the Protection of Women and Children.
The Kosovo Women's Network said it will support any initiative aimed at dignified treatment of sex violence survivors and combating prejudice against them.
