Pristina, August 6, 2025 — In a deeply emotional and courageous account, a survivor of wartime sexual violence in Kosovo shared her powerful testimony during an episode of Debat Plus, part of the series “Silence That Kills – The True Cry of War.”
Speaking publicly, the woman recounted how she confronted her rapist, known by the nickname “Zhika,” in court—choosing to face him directly rather than testify remotely.
“They asked me, ‘Do you want another way—through screens—or do you want to confront him face to face?’ I said, ‘I want to face him. I want to tell him the truth to his face: what he did to me.’ And that’s exactly what I did,” she said.
With immense strength and clarity, she recalled standing before the man who had violated her, and told him—“You raped me.”
The survivor said her rapist offered no response when asked by his lawyer if he had any questions for her.
“He said nothing. The second time, even when asked again in Albanian if he had anything to say, he just repeated ‘no, no, no.’ He had no words—because I looked him in the eye and told him the truth,” she explained. “And I stood firm until the very end.”
The trial concluded with justice being served. Zhika was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
For the survivor, the verdict brought not just justice, but emotional liberation.
“I cried so much—tears of joy. It felt like the sky had changed, like my whole world transformed. I felt so free, so happy. Truly, very happy,” she said.
This testimony is part of an ongoing national effort to recognize and honor the voices of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Kosovo, shedding light on crimes that were for years shrouded in silence.
