The aim of the master's thesis is to explore the attitudes and opinions, knowledge and understanding, strategies, policies and attitudes of political parties in the Western Balkan countries regarding the legal definitions of rape and their changes to improve the situation of survivors. Despite principled political recognition that violence against women and girls reflects systematic gender discrimination and inequality and a violation of human rights, sexual violence often goes unreported and goes unpunished. Using mixed qualitative research methods, I therefore examined the situation and practices of political parties, NGOs and international organizations. I note that one important reason is the fact that the definition of rape in the region is based on the emergency use of force and requires physical resistance from the victim. This is contrary to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Since political parties in the region operate on the principle of bindings, I have investigated whether and to what extent they differ in their knowledge of and support for the affirmative consent model "only yes means yes" and whether it exists and how much political parties are willing to participate in the process legislating consent in sexual relations. I find that recognizing and highlighting the necessity of changing laws and processes to make it easier for surviving women to report rape is limited among political parties, and the field retains the status of an inferior ꞌwomen's topicꞌ. On the basis of the data collected, I therefore also offer concrete recommendations for necessary legislative changes.
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