Ian Traynor in Zagreb
Friday April 29, 2005
The Guardian
The alleged rape of an American athlete in a small Croatian town has triggered a national debate on violence against women and trenchant criticism of how the courts belittle sexual crime.
Pressure is mounting for tougher sentencing in rape cases and an end to the practice of courts allocating blame to sexual assault victims.
The incident that sparked the row occurred this month when a 28-year-old basketball player was relaxing in her hotel room in the small town of Gospic. According to a statement she gave to police the following morning, a well-connected local businessman she knew forced his way into the room and raped her.
The reaction of the authorities turned a spotlight on the ways violence against women in the Balkans is hushed up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1472743,00.html