Kosovo does not have a special institution for handling cases of sexual violence. Victims receive temporary services, but without adequate treatment. Experts in social services say that minors can also end up in prostitution since they fail to rehabilitate or reintegrate. Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice promises that within the year the first center will be established to deal with these cases.
During the past year alone, 90 people were sexually assaulted, reads the response of the Kosovo Police.
“During 2023, 76 people were sexually harassed. There were attempts to rape seven people, 90 cases were committed. 65 people were sexually attacked, while this was a case of an attempt”, reads the response of the Kosovo Police.
Vebi Mujku, who leads the Institute for Social Policy Development, says that the state has not yet understood the importance of dealing with these cases.
The expert on social policies and social services adds that Kosovo needs the establishment of a center to deal with cases of sexual violence.
The Kosova Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims (KRCT) has been dealing with cases of sexual violence during the last war in Kosovo for more than two decades. Also, they offer direct services to children attacked by harassment or sexual violence. Feride Rushiti, who leads this center, says that victims of sexual violence are passing from one door to another.
The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, says that this year a center will be established to deal with cases of sexual violence.
She adds that last year several actions were taken in this direction and one of the most important changes they made, as she points out, is the protocol for handling cases of sexual violence. /Sh. Pajaziti/
