A thousand and 217 women and 57 men are recognized as the status of victim of sexual violence during the war

During the recent war in Kosovo, even sexual violations of men, women and children were used as a means of war by Serbia's military, not military and police forces. The exact number of people raped during the war is not known, but according to reports by relevant organisations -- local and international -- is believed to be around 20,000.

In Kosovo, victims of sexual violence during the war are legally recognised as status. The application for his recognition began in 2018.

Government Commission for Recognition and Verification of the Status of Sex Violence Victims During the War in Kosovo, Leonora Selmani, tells Radio Kosovo the number of applications addressed and accepted.

“From the beginning so far has applied a thousand and 736 people, of whom approved are 1,000 and 274, while others are under way. Of the applications addressed 1,000 and 532 are women, and 105 men. Applications approved by the commission are the women's share of 1,000 and 217, while men are 57”, she said.

From the applications addressed, the commission has rejected 266 applications, says Mrs. Selmani, which shows that in the first 6 months of this year, 113 applications have been accepted. It invites victims of sexual violence during the 1998-99 war to apply for recognition of status, as this is a legal right to be exploited by the persons they suffered.

Subtitles by law have certain benefits. The basic Benefi is the personal pension that is worth 230 euros a month. This is a very small satifation compared with the violence they have experienced, but they, in addition to being recognised the status of the victim of sexual violence, have this benefit the state guarantees and that their pain is more or less known to”, she said.

Under the law, the five-year deadline for recognition of the status of the victim of sexual violence during the war ends in February 2023.

The chairman of the Commission for Recognition and Verification of the Status of Sex Violence Victims during the war says extending the deadline for application can only be done by law, and, according to Selmani, must happen, taking into account the fact that victims are not easy to decide to apply.

According to official data, during the year 2021, the number of applications for recognition and verification of the status of victims of sexual violence during the war was 228, by 2020 there were 204 cases, 268 during 2019, and 921 applications were accepted when the process began.