Femicide in Kosovo: Why do women keep being killed?

Erona C., a young mother from the city of Ferizaj, was just 21 when she was murdered by her ex-husband in mid-April. As she was meeting with her husband to pick up their child, he pulled out a gun, shot his ex-wife dead and injured her brother, who was with her at the time.

Gjyljeta U., a mother of three from the city of Peja, was 42 when she was murdered by her partner a few days later. According to official reports, he turned himself in to the police with the words "I shot my wife."

Both women — Erona C. and Gjyljeta U. — were killed in Kosovo within just five days of each other. Their murders caused outrage in the small Balkan country of only 1.8 million people.

President Vjosa Osmani declared a day of national mourning in memory of all women and girls killed as a result of gender-based violence in Kosovo.

But despite the outrage, few people in the country are likely to have been very surprised by the news of the femicides. For years, activists and human rights organizations have been criticizing the structural deficiencies in the country that allow Kosovar women to become victims of violence again and again. Many are asking what has to happen for something to finally change.

Perpetrators have little to fear from the law

There have been a number of positive developments — at least on paper — in recent years. Domestic violence was made a criminal offense in Kosovo in 2019. The courts can now impose fines of between €100 and €25,000 (between $108 and $27,000) and sentence perpetrators to up to three years in prison. In most cases, however, sentences have remained mild.

The case of Gjyljeta U. is a perfect example: Her murderer was known to police, having already been fined €100 and sentenced to three months in prison for domestic violence in 2022. However, he avoided prison by paying €300.

"Perpetrators have often become murderers precisely because of the lack of adequate punishment by the relevant institutions," wrote Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu on Facebook on April 16. She convened a crisis meeting with the interior minister, chief of police, chief public prosecutor and other senior officials to discuss the matter.

But activists have said such knee-jerk reactions do nothing to change the atmosphere of impunity that surrounds domestic violence in Kosovo.

"We need a stronger justice system, faster proceedings and for the maximum sentences for perpetrators to be applied more frequently," sociologist Bukurije Rrustemi told DW.

Women fear police don't take domestic violence seriously

According to official police statistics, there were four femicides in Kosovo in 2023 and 2,120 cases of women being abused. It's probable the actual number of cases is much higher because many women do not bring charges against the perpetrators, among other things because they fear police and judiciary will not take them seriously.

In a survey published by Amnesty International in August 2023, victims of domestic violence said they were told by police officers that the violent behavior of their partners was completely normal.

The women reported that intimidation, threats and psychological aggression were mostly dismissed, and that police often only intervened in cases where there were visible indications of physical violence, such as bruises.

According to psychologist Kaltrina Ajeti, victims are often made to feel as if they are partly responsible for the situation — a response that has serious consequences. "The victims often think that they did something to help create such a situation, that they induced the perpetrator to ongoing violence, thereby compelling them to destroy the family," she told DW.

This attitude, Ajeti said, is not just widespread within the police but also in Kosovar society as a whole.

Men dominate in Kosovar society

Attitudes in Kosovar society and its deeply patriarchal structure have created a space that is conducive to femicide.

"The woman's role in Kosovo is to be the housewife and to look after their children and husband and the elderly in the family," said sociologist Rrustemi. She added that male dominance in many parts of society is virtually impossible to overcome for many women. "They lack education, jobs and economic independence," she said.

Zana Asllani, head of the women's shelter in Pristina, confirmed many women who have the courage to leave their violent husbands often return to them later for purely economic reasons. They simply cannot afford to lead an independent life because they often have no income of their own. In 2021, about 50% of men in Kosovo were formally employed — but only 17% of women.

Kosovar women lack financial independence

Women in Kosovo have very few opportunities to become financially independent. Most property is owned by men, and women are often excluded from inheritances.

Although Kosovar law considers brothers and sisters to have the same rights when it comes to inheritance, in many cases tradition prevails. In such cases, it's the sons who inherit, while the daughters are left empty-handed. The thinking is that when they marry into their husband's family, they leave their own family, losing their right to have a say and their claim to a share of the inheritance in the process.

In many cases, tradition prohibits a woman from returning to her parents' house — even when she is the victim of domestic violence. In practice, this means when Kosovar women marry, they practically become their husband's property.

Women who are rejected by their families and return to their partners often suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, said psychologist Ajeti. The perpetrators, on the other hand, often feel empowered.

"The perpetrator is now aware that his partner has no choice and no other way out," she said.

Problem across the Balkans?

Rrustemi said this problem is not just restricted to Kosovo. "There are cases of femicide across the Balkans. Patriarchal society is similar right across the Balkans. One could speak of a Balkan mentality," she said.

The situation is exacerbated by the violence experienced during the Balkan wars and the difficult socioeconomic situation in many areas. Other reasons for excessive violence, which can also be observed in other countries, include mental problems such as psychoses, depression and other untreatable psychological problems in the perpetrator, substance and alcohol abuse and social reasons, said Rrustemi.

"Violence on television and in social networks and hate speech in particular also lower the threshold for violence among young men," she said.

Nevertheless, Rrustemi is convinced the patriarchal aspect plays the biggest role in maintaining the status quo, since all attempts by women to change this situation have been blocked by men.

This article was originally written in German.