Violence against women in war - Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman in Kosovo 1999

In war, the abuse of women is often used as a "weapon of war". The perpetrators aim to make women victims and also disgrace the society they come from. This martyrdom was also experienced by the then 16-year-old Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman, who during the Kosovo War in 1999 was brutally raped by two Serbs - including a policeman. "I begged the policeman to kill me over and over again," she says, but her tormentor wanted to see her suffer. Sven Lilienström, founder of the Faces of Peace Initiative, spoke with Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman about the day that changed everything.

Ms. Krasniqi Goodman, we would like to ask you first: What does "peace" mean to you personally?

I am convinced that "peace" is strongly influenced by two factors - internal and external factors. While external factors are often more perceived, the process of building peace, in my opinion, begins with the internal factors. Real peace must emerge from inner peace. Globally speaking, this is a noble wish that seems far away at the moment.

You were raped by two Serbs during the Kosovo War in 1999 - including a policeman. What can you tell us about April 14, 1999? How did your life change in the days and weeks after?

For me - and certainly for many other women - the day it happened was the "day of the apocalypse". The day that felt like the last of my life. As a 16-year-old girl, I was terribly scared. Not knowing what was happening around me made it even worse. Sometimes we watched BBC or CNN and saw the terrible reports of massacres committed by Serbian forces, or of murders of infants. But I had hardly heard about rape cases until then. I still remember exactly how the policeman violently grabbed me and threatened me with his firearm. He dragged me into his car and raped me there. I felt helpless and completely vulnerable. Afterwards, he took me to a village where a large group of people had gathered. I cried incessantly, but they only laughed at me and threatened me. Shortly thereafter, an older man took me to a nearby house and raped me there again. He looked like a civilian, but was carrying a firearm. My family and I had already been through a lot before - the rapes reopened my existing emotional and physical wounds. That day was hell - it felt like my life had lost its meaning. I lived for a long time just because I had to!

The criminals are still roaming free while I seek justice.

Two years ago, you said in a TV interview: "I begged the policeman to kill me over and over again. But he said I would suffer more if he let me live." Why did you prefer to die back then?

That's true. Even before the rapes, I thought that my tormentors would kill me - they did that with many of their victims. I was paralyzed the whole time and knew that terrible things would happen. My pleading to be killed was the best option I could imagine at the time. This option was better than all the things and feelings that I experienced. I just wanted it to end. All the disgusting things they did to me completely changed my essence - broke my soul. My virginity was taken from me by a criminal; I just did not want to live in a reality where all this happened. But they had decided not to kill me, knowing that I would suffer more if I continued to live. And they were right!

Women and girls worldwide are subjected to gender-based violence in armed conflicts. Why is it so important that brave women like you speak out? Can you tell us what happened to the perpetrators?

Women in Kosovo were subjected to countless crimes during the war. They were tortured by Serbian forces - not because they are the supposedly "weaker" sex, but because women are directly connected to the prosperity of a society through their ability to reproduce. The goal of the Serbian state apparatus was to influence population growth and to make people permanently flee from the contested areas. In some places, women are even taken as war prisoners by these "armies of terror" - abused to satisfy the soldiers' animalistic desires. In my case, I have fought repeatedly to bring these criminals to justice. But they are still walking free while I seek justice.

While physical scars eventually heal, the emotional ones remain for a long time. How have you processed the events of April 1999 and are there moments when your memories haunt the past?

My physical wounds have healed. I escaped death, but my mind and soul will never fully rehabilitate, although I have always had support from my family. There is not a single morning when I wake up and do not remember the terrible events that happened to me - and to the over 20,000 other victims. It is hard to bear this burden - I am just tired of it. Rape is something that "imprisons" you and takes away a piece of your freedom every day. I cannot imagine a more cruel experience. Sometimes it feels like my life up to that point was worthless because of it. But now, I dedicate all my strength and energy to other women who have had similar experiences. So that such crimes do not go unpunished.

The victims are also disappointed by "The Hague", where not a single case has been brought to trial. This is absurd!

After being indicted for war crimes by the Kosovo Special Tribunal, President Hashim Thaci announced his resignation in November 2020. Do you think war criminals are being pursued consistently enough?

Since the day of the rape, I have - together with my family - dealt with my case. At the beginning, we had great trust in justice. Therefore, I would never have thought it possible that an international organization like UNMIK does not feel responsible for investigating the crimes in Kosovo. They have never looked at our case or any other cases. When we brought my case to court in 2013 during the EULEX mission in Kosovo, the UNMIK claimed they had lost my files.

The result was that the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo found the rapists not guilty - a devastating verdict for my family and me. What I want to say is: During the UNMIK-EULEX period in Kosovo, we were not treated fairly by these organizations. The victims are also disappointed by "The Hague", where not a single case has been brought before the International Criminal Court. This is absurd! On the other hand, Kosovo has expressed its determination to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice. We - the victims of the war in Kosovo - still hope for justice, even though it seems that it will never be served. It is even more sad to see these criminals now holding government positions in Serbia.

Ms. Krasniqi Goodman, in an interview, Dr. Mukwege also criticized international politics and called violence against women a "shame for all humanity." What do you wish for from politics?

In our case, the Serbian armed forces used rape as a "systematic weapon" to achieve their goals. What they did is a shame for Europe. How could Europe allow a European country to commit such crimes against defenseless population groups under its jurisdiction? And despite the terrible things I had to experience, I feel neither hatred nor the need to give up. On the contrary: I will continue to advocate for justice. I will continue to work to ensure that such crimes are properly punished and future rapes in war zones can be prevented.

Thank you for the interview, Ms. Krasniqi Goodman!

Faces of Peace Initiative online