On the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, it was emphasized that the stories of survivors must be heard, felt, and supported. It was stated that “trauma has no expiration date, just as the demand for justice has no deadline.”
As part of the campaign “Trauma Has No Deadline,” the director of the Kosova Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims (KRCT), Feride Rushiti, said that the consequences of this crime have been clearly visible in Kosovo for 25 years — not only for the survivors but also for their families.Rushiti further stated that silence must end, stories must be heard, and reflection is necessary.
“The long-term consequences of this crime have been visible to us in Kosovo for 25 years now — they are not only present for the survivors, but unfortunately also for their children. Today, within the campaign ‘Trauma Has No Deadline’ which we are conducting together with the British Embassy in Kosovo and the ‘Be My Voice’ platform, we have chosen not to remain silent anymore. We have chosen to listen to survivors’ stories in order to reflect — but also to take concrete action, because survivors of sexual violence during the war do not heal with time. Time does not heal wounds — justice, care, and rehabilitation do. Setting time limits for the recognition of their status, as well as for rehabilitation programs and access to justice, is a form of betrayal — one that denies the very act and its consequences. As a society and as institutions, we cannot impose deadlines on the legal recognition of victims. They must be heard, felt, and supported… We are gathered here to show that trauma has no expiration date, just as the demand for justice has no deadline,” said Rushiti.The British Ambassador to Kosovo, Jonathan Hargreaves, stated that sexual violence is still used as a weapon and deliberate strategy of war.”Sexual violence is still used as a weapon and a deliberate strategy in war. Today is a chance to acknowledge and combat it — but also a day to celebrate resilience and call for justice. It is a day to reaffirm our belief that survivors must never again be silenced or ignored, but must be recognized, supported, and empowered. You know the pain — but you also know the strength,” said Hargreaves.
Secondary survivor of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, Venesa Sulimani, said that the trauma of sexual violence is not merely a story, but a legacy — one that continues to shape the daily lives of survivors. “When we talk about conflict-related sexual violence, the conversation often remains fixed on history — what happened, when, and where. But trauma is not history, it is legacy. It does not remain locked in the past. It lingers, it echoes, and it manifests in the daily lives of survivors. It resides in their bodies, in their families, and in generations to come,” said Sulimani.On the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, a memorial tribute was also held at the Heroinat park in Prishtina.
