Silence of the reason

Presented by: Kumjana Novakova

The abduction and rape of women during armed conflicts has been a constant throughout history. Treated as part of the spoils of war since ancient times, they have endured the horrors of conflict as enslaved victims of unchecked male violence. During the war in the former Yugoslavia, at the very heart of Europe, the women of Foča were separated from the men and confined to detention centres or apartments where they were subjected to systematic sexual violence. Their voices, memories, and testimonies eventually led to a landmark decision by the UN War Crimes Tribunal, recognising rape as a form of torture and sexual slavery as a crime against humanity.