On Tuesday evening, a unique museum dedicated to survivors of sexual violence during the Kosovo war was inaugurated in Pristina. The museum features dozens of stories from survivors, documented through written accounts and artifacts that reflect their harrowing experiences.
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| At one of the premises of the museum in Pristina |
The Museum of Survivors of Wartime Sexual Violence in Kosovo aims to serve as a place of remembrance and respect for survivors while raising awareness about the importance of justice and support for them.
Former President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga, now leading the Jahjaga Foundation, which spearheaded this project, emphasized the museum’s role in highlighting the struggles of a long-neglected group in society.
“My heart aches when I think of how, for so long, the stories of these survivors have remained silent—locked within their hearts, or worse, stigmatized by a society that has often chosen to look away. It burdens me to think of those who carried this pain to their graves without sharing their suffering, seeing justice, or glimpsing hope,” said Jahjaga during the opening.
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| A dress of a woman sexually victimized by the Serbs in Peja in 1998 on display in the museum |
Located in the center of Pristina, the museum is named “Çast” (Moment).
“The name reflects a moment that forever changed the lives of these survivors during the war in Kosovo,” explained the museum’s curator, Eliza Hoxha. “But it also represents countless moments when we as a society have made them feel guilty despite their innocence. We have burdened their lives in peacetime, failed to integrate them, ignored their pain, and denied them the space they deserve.”
This museum stands as a poignant reminder of the resilience of survivors and the urgent need to address the stigma and silence surrounding wartime sexual violence.