For the Memorial Day for Survivors of Sexual Violence during the Kosovo War, Kosovo institutions—on the initiative of civil society—symbolically chose April 14, as on that day in 1999, Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman, who was sixteen at the time, was raped by members of the Serbian police. She was the first woman to publicly speak out about the crime of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo. With this street action, we express solidarity with all women and men who survived sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, as well as with the civil society initiative “Be My Voice,” which calls for reparations and justice for the victims.
We recall that during the war in Kosovo, rape and sexual violence were used by members of Serbian armed forces against the Albanian population in an organized and systematic manner, as a weapon of war and an instrument of ethnic cleansing. We call on states to fairly prosecute all sexual war crimes, to sign bilateral extradition agreements, and to ensure reparations for survivors of sexual crimes, regardless of theirnationality.
We reiterate our demand that the state of Serbia recognize the war crime of rape committed against women during the war.
April 14 – Memorial Day for Survivors of Sexual Violence during the Kosovo War
14 Prilli – Dita e të Mbijetuarve të Dhunës Seksuale gjatë Luftës në Kosovë
14. april – Dan sećanja na žrtve seksualnog nasilja u ratu na Kosovu
