Bosnian woman helped make rape a war crime
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Ms Nusreta Sivac (above), was one of 37 women raped by guards at a concentration camp in Bosnia. Today, it's partly thanks to Ms Sivac's efforts to gather testimony from women across Bosnia that rape has been categorised as a war crime under international law. -- PHOTO: AP
BOSNIA (AP) - There were days when she prayed for a bullet to end her suffering.
When she thought she was dying of a heart attack, she whispered "Thank you God."
A young judge, Nusreta Sivac was one of 37 women raped by guards at a concentration camp in Bosnia. They never discussed the nightly traumas - their pained glances were enough to communicate their suffering. She also witnessed murder and torture by Bosnian Serb guards - and was forced to clean blood from walls and floors of the interrogation room.
She told herself to memorise the names and faces of the tormentors so that one day she might bring them to justice.
