Charles and Camilla show tender side as they hug and embrace victims of Kosovo War

09:08 | 20 Mars 2016
Arbresh.info

The heartrending meeting was hosted by President Atifete Jahjaga at her office in the capital Pristina, where a group of survivors of sexual violence bravely shared their stories.

Although the meeting was held in private, it later emerged that Camilla, 68, cried openly after hearing how one mother was raped along with her three daughters, then aged 20, 18 and 13 in a horrific ordeal lasting 17 hours.

Another story, of an eight-months pregnant woman losing her much-longed for baby after being raped in a similarly brutal attack proved so harrowing, the translator also burst into tears.

There is no accurate figure for the number of women and girls who were raped or suffered from other forms of sexual violence although estimates suggest that the total ranges from 10,000 to 20,000. Seventeen years on, no one has ever been prosecuted or punished for these despicable crimes.

Before the meeting, President Jahjaga said: “Sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war against women in Kosovo,

“What these women will be sharing today are harrowing stories but ones which show great courage and bravery.

“They are speaking out to end the stigmatisation of victims of rape. For 17 years this topic has been a taboo. It is only very recently that survivors of sexual violence have been given the same status as victims of the war. We have already had three applications for the recognition of this legal status – that process starts today.”

Earlier the Duchess viewed two skirts that have been created as part of an art installation called “Thinking of You” upon which abused women had written anonymous quotes. One read: “This skirt has a closed history since spring 1998” and another said: “I have a bitter experience.”

Feride Rushide from the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims said: “I’m very glad that Her Royal Highness had the opportunity to hear first-hand from victims of sexual violence.

“In the last few years, with the support of the President and others, including the British Embassy, we have come a long way in Kosovo in addressing these issues, but there is still much work to be done to ensure that survivors are supported and not stigmatised.”