The world has recently learned of the atrocities committed in the former Yugoslavia. Stories of torture, prison camps, and Holocaust-like conditions emerge daily in the news. One of the most unique aspects of the war in Bosnia, the methodical rape of women and girls, remains largely unknown, however. The mass rapes in Bosnia were part of a campaign against women, which included genocide, pornography, and ethnic cleansing. Women have never been regarded as the equals of men in Balkan society.
Girls often marry at a young age, bear children soon after, and receive only minimal schooling.
This subtle and ingrained disrespect of women paved the way for the mass rapes that occurred in Bosnia. Women were easy targets for male soldiers because they were perceived as defenseless. They were showing us their power. They stuck their guns in our mouths. They tore our clothes.