Berisha: In 70% of cases, victims of sexual violence are minors

Adeljina Beriša
Source: Kosovo Online

The Program Manager for Violence Against Women, Adelina Berisha, pointed out that research shows that as many as 70% of sexual violence victims are minors and warned that the penalties for this criminal offense in Kosovo are inadequate.

Berisha stated that in recent years, an increased number of sexual violence cases have been reported to the Kosovo Police, but no research has been conducted to determine the actual number.

“Data from the Forensic Institute shows that 70% of sexual violence cases involve younger individuals under the age of 18. Our latest report from 2015, which examines the prevalence of domestic violence and sexual harassment in Kosovo, shows that more than 48% of women have been sexually harassed at some point in their lives,” she said.

She stated that the establishment of various internet platforms makes victims easy targets. She added that it must be emphasized that any action without a woman’s consent is a criminal offense.

“It’s unfortunate that young men in Kosovo have ‘role models,’ now also on online platforms, and I think it’s even easier to commit violence against someone. We openly discuss the concept with young people so they understand they cannot do anything without consent. Even just touching someone without consent is a criminal offense. We need to work more with younger generations to ensure they are informed. Older generations also need to talk to young people and educate them,” Berisha said.

She emphasized the need to work on raising awareness about human rights and directing victims to places where they can seek help.

“Where it is thought that a woman does not have the same power as a man, men exploit their power against women. We need to work harder to teach young people what human rights are, what sexual violence is, what violence in general is, where they can report if they are victims, where to seek help, and to know that all these acts are criminal,” she said.

The penalties for sexual violence or harassment in practice are not adequate, Berisha added. On the contrary, they are less severe than the law prescribes.

In addition to working with victims, Berisha said it is also necessary to work with perpetrators.

“We have a program for all those who have committed this type of violence to correct their attitudes and opinions. It is essential to work with them, to explain to them that their actions have a harmful impact on other people, on the state, and on society,” Berisha stated.

She stressed that the situation cannot be changed quickly, but added that she is optimistic about the issue.

“This is a lot of work, primarily for the media and for us as civil society, as it is our responsibility to be close to people and to point out their rights. This doesn’t change overnight, but I am optimistic that things will improve,” Berisha said.

She noted that the Kosovo Women’s Network has raised the issue of penalizing online violence, which she said is currently the most widespread form of violence.

“We believe that this type of violence must also be punishable. We hope this will happen after the elections, as there is currently no interest in it, but we have advised the Ministry of Justice to penalize online violence,” she said.

Regarding the increase in cases of sexual violence against women in northern Kosovo, Berisha encouraged women not to let shame from their surroundings prevent them from reporting cases.

“I am sorry that women in the north face two problems: the system and the people. I would like women in the north to feel safer and to report all these cases to the police and seek help. I expect the police to do their job and prosecute the perpetrators. We are against all forms of violence, and for us, it does not matter which ethnic group the victim belongs to. We must care for one another. I want to tell them to be brave and report cases of violence. In the north, we have activists who are very strong women, and victims can also seek help from them,” Berisha concluded.