Srebrenica Memorial Day
1st July
Srebrenica Memorial Day aims to commemorate and raise awareness for both the casualties and survivors of the Srebrenica Genocide.
Following the break-up of Yugoslavia, the ensuing Bosnian War (1992-1995) saw thousands of Bosnian Muslim men and boys murdered, and tens upon thousands of Bosnian Muslim women and girls raped and tortured.
Considered as one of the most enduring atrocities since the Second World War, the gender-based violence committed at Srebrenica stands as a disturbing focal point in history of how sexual violence against women and girls was systematically used as weapon of war. It is estimated between 20,000 and 50,000 women were forcibly displaced and abused as a co-ordinated military strategy.
Through raising awareness of rape as a weapon of war, we can help to break the silence concerning stigmas surrounding sexual violence. Today, and always, we remember women and girls, and stand with the survivors of the Srebrenica Genocide.
To this day, there remain few survivors who have come forward to share their experiences, owing to the lasting stigmas of shame and fear surrounding the atrocities that took place. We understand that sharing experiences of sexual violence can be an extremely challenging and often triggering experience, but our services are open to women and girls who have experienced sexual violence. We take this day to highlight how survivors have rebuilt their lives, and to combating negative attitudes and perceptions surrounding refugees who are survivors of sexual violence.
