Sexual Harassment in Kosovo

woman won the case. As a result, the judge was suspended. In this case, the Ombudsperson carried
out his responsibilities effectively. However, according to the Ombudsperson, people rarely take such
matters to court.
Conclusions
Some representatives of institutions still lack knowledge about sexual harassment, its definition,
and the relevant legal framework. This hampers their ability to effectively respond to sexual harassment
cases. Sexual harassment tends to be misunderstood as rape or sexual assault, while “less physical” or
“severe” forms of sexual harassment are either unknown or considered insufficiently important.
Additionally, some representatives of institutions like their fellow citizens, tend to blame victims for
sexual harassment. This coupled with the broader aforementioned power relations between the
abuser and abused contribute to a fear among victims in reporting sexual harassment. If cases are not
reported to institutions, institutions cannot deal with them effectively. The fact that so few cases are
reported, coupled with the absence of an explicit definition of sexual harassment in the criminal code,
makes it difficult to track and evaluate trends in institutional response.
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