Description
After more than ten years in an abusive marriage, Linda - a pseudonym to protect her anonymity - has taken refuge in a centre for the protection of women and children on the outskirts of Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. "I was mentally and physically abused" she recalls, "I was just a servant and a babysitter". The shelter is a safe space for survivors in a country long plagued by domestic violence. Luljeta Demolli, an activist and executive director of the Kosovo Center for Gender Studies, believes "the primary reason is the patriarchy," followed by what she says is the "non-enforcement" of legislation designed to protect women and girls. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES