"We ask them in the most human way", will the Parliament listen to the voice of the survivors of sexual violence during the war
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1 months ago
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The Assembly of Kosovo is expected to consider today in principle the Draft Law on compulsory health care insurance. Survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo are seeking full health insurance coverage with no strings attached. KosovaPress has talked with some of the survivors who show the great challenges until securing the necessary medical services.
In a dimly lit room, the sober has only bitter memories. The marks on his body, but also on his mind, are traces of what he experienced during the war.
Spring does not have to come for Aphrodite to remember the saddest event of her life. He never forgets it.
Twenty-five years ago, she was sexually assaulted in the boy's presence. Four times, by four Serbian criminals.
"For six hours, four times [I was raped] by four people. In the most barbaric way, as they have known, in the most barbaric way. I tried to defend myself with flesh and soul... but I was powerless. The boy is also helpless." the woman in her 60s confesses.
For more than two decades she has not found peace. She wakes up around one after midnight - just as she remembers the last screams during the cruelty that was done to her.
In addition to the psychological consequences, today she also faces the disease of breast cancer.
Medical checks, therapy, operations... Above all, fear that her story will be revealed.
"I'm with...oh...do you hear this word when they say 'died of a serious illness'." The serious disease is known to make people sick even when they mention it by name, it is cancer... 90 percent happened because of this [rape], because my chest was already infected and they made glands from it. Let me not go to the doctor, let people not know what happened to me, because it could never have happened by itself. Even when I went to the doctor, he told me 'madam what's your problem', I said 'I don't know'. Even the tears have started to go to me. However, the day came when I had to face surgery, successive checks, and expensive incisions." she adds further.
Aphrodita has the status of a victim of sexual violence, which allows her a pension of 230 euros.
In the next battle to fight the disease, she can barely afford the health care costs.
"Our request, we ask them in the most human way to release us from payments. To release us, because it is really hard for us. As my example, I have 30 euros for each check-up, 130 euros for each resonance, other therapies... In a month I take 362 steps, which can be 230 euros to cover all those therapies, and where are the things others, visits and tests, all of them", she says.
The number of people raped during the last war in Kosovo is unknown, but reports speak of around 20.000.
So far, only Zoran Vukotić has been convicted for sexual violence during the 1998-1999 war.
Their stories are not known because survivors still fear the stigma of prejudice, and remain silent.
In Kosovo, since 2014 there is a law for recognizing their status, but so far only about 2 thousand have received it.
Among them is Drita, who today faces health problems.
Tremors, pain, daily worries.
"I had a lot of health problems, I had to go two or three times a week [for medical appointments]. I have a lot of worries, I've had a lot of tremors, nausea, I've had back pain, I have myoma - wild meat as they say. I couldn't handle them either because of the conditions. I've needed it many times, not once, but only God and my soul know... Calculate with 230 euros how much you can get away with, with a hangar, when it comes to clothing - here it's a bit like a minus." Drita confesses.
The woman who speaks out of fear of being found out, her only income is from the pension she started receiving recently.
"I go out into the yard, I try to calm myself down, it's 03:00 at night or 05:00 in the morning, or 01:00 at night, I try to calm myself down, take a breath and talk to myself. I try to some extent, but I see that I can't, I have to take the sleepy boy and go to check up and the worst thing is that now when I go to the doctor, I have to pay because I don't have any cover. You say 'I'm neither retired, nor am I' ... I don't know, I don't have any document to avoid payment", she emphasizes.
The Kosovo Center for the Rehabilitation of Torture Survivors (KKRMT) yesterday submitted an official request that survivors of sexual violence benefit from full health insurance coverage without any conditions.
The Assembly of Kosovo is expected to consider today in principle the Draft Law on compulsory health care insurance.
The director of the NCRC, Feride Rushiti, tells KosovaPress that over 90 percent of the survivors of sexual violence during the war, who receive psycho-social services in this organization, also have physical health needs but do not receive them due to stigmatization and economic difficulties.
"It is already foreseen by the draft law that we have seen that the status of poverty must be verified, which puts the survivors of sexual violence in difficulties, due to the stigma they face. So we are hoping and we have indications that the Assembly of Kosovo will already have a consensus that this sensitive social group, the most vulnerable group in post-war Kosovar society, will be able to receive free health services, without subjecting you to any verification of wealth or status their economic... Over 90 percent of women and men who follow psycho-social services in the organization also have physical health needs and most of them, due to stigmatization and economic difficulties, do not manage to receive adequate services genuine", says Rushiti.
Afërdita also expects that the deputies of the Assembly of Kosovo will take into account the request of KKRMT and enable full coverage of health services, without the need to verify the status of poverty.
"I am begging them in my own name and in the name of all the women who have experienced this to release us, because we really need your help. We need an extended hand", says Afërdita.
*To protect the identity, Aphrodita and Drita are names decided by the editors.
