#MeToo has already started in the Balkans. This movement is having its moment in the region, with many women raising their voices and speaking out publicly about being victims of sexual harassment and abuse.

Last month, a Serbian actor, Milena Radulović, openly declared that she was raped by her former professor Miroslav Mika Aleksić, also an actor and director of the drama school where she studied acting. He was soon arrested and meanwhile other women came out with accusations against him. So far, he has been charged in court with eight counts of rape. 

Thousands of women from all over the region expressed solidarity with Milena Radulović using the slogan “Nisi sama” (“You are not alone”). This was followed by the creation of an online platform “Nisam trazila” (“I did not ask for it”) by a group of women actors in Sarajevo.

The #MeToo movement started in 2006, when American activist Tarana Burke kicked off her activism with the famous slogan. Burke helped bring attention to African-American women who had experienced sexual violence and raised awareness about the growth of sexual abuse and assault in society.

Eleven years later, #MeToo received global recognition after a viral Tweet by actress Alyssa Milano — she is one of the women who helped raise awareness of the sexual assault charges against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

In this episode of the Konteksti podcast, we speak with feminist activists Adelina Berisha and Iliriana Banjska about the dynamics of #MeToo in the region and within the global context, as well as the possibility of a movement in Kosovo following events in the Balkans.K

Author: Dafina Halili / K2.0
Guests: Adelina Berisha, program manager at Kosovo Women’s Network and Iliriana Banjska, managing editor at K2.0
Sound mixing: Studio 11
Feature image: Atdhe Mulla / K2.0
Production: Dibran Sejdiu / K2.0

This podcast was produced with support from the National Endowment for Democracy. The views expressed do not reflect those of the NED.