Summary of the Research ”We are still alive” on the long-term consequences of war rape and coping strategies of survivors in Bosnia Herzegovina (20 pages)

Background:

In 2014 Medica Zenica and medica mondiale conducted a study with 51 survivors of war rape and sexual violence from Bosnia and Herzegovina who had used Medica Zenica's services during and after the war. This is the summary of the research.

Full Title: "We are still alive. We have been harmed but we are brave and strong.” Second revised edition. (November 2014).

© Medica Zenica & medica mondiale

About the research:

While preparing the research, the two organizations formulated four main areas of interest:

• How has the war-related sexual violence and rape impacted on the lives of the survivors and their psychological well-being, health, relationships, and on family systems?
• How does Bosnian society treat survivors of war-related sexual violence and rape nowadays? How are they integrated into their society from the legal, social, health and psychosocial point of view?
• What has helped survivors to get on with their lives after war rape? What has given them the strength to continue their lives? What are their coping mechanisms, and how did they evolve in the two decades after their traumatising experiences?
• What did Medica Zenica’s work mean for the survivors in their coping process? What were the most important “ingredients” in the help they received that actually made the difference for the women and supported them the most?

Researchers:

Sabiha Husi?, M.Sc., Irma Šiljak, Emina Osmanovi?, Ferida ?eki?, Lejla Heremi?

Consultants:

Dr. Simone Lindorfer, Dr. Elvira Durakovi?-Belko, Andreja Dugandži?, Nejra ?engi?

Here you can watch the video clip of the study and read the complete research.