GRACE Trustee Lejla Damon Shares her Story as a Child Born of War

In a recent article by Louise Court for Woman and Home, GRACE Trustee Lejla Damon shares her story as a ‘child born of war’.

Lejla was born in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War (1992–1995). She was adopted by two journalists who met her while reporting on conflict in the region. In an interview with Court, Lejla’s mother, Sian, shares about the first time that she met Lejla and the circumstances of her birth and adoption. Lejla’s birth mother was held captive in a Serb ‘rape camp’, a location where women were repeatedly subjected to sexual violence to cause pregnancy. Women were held until the late stages of pregnancy to ensure they reached full term. This practice was used as a weapon of war largely by the Serb army and, to a lesser degree, other militant groups to disrupt and destroy social ties among the communities they were targeting. Traumatised victims of sexual assault and children conceived through rape were often alienated from their families and heavily stigmatised among their communities. Many children conceived through rape were abandoned.

Sian feeding Lejla at a safe house near Sarajevo

Court details the story of Lejla's parents. Lejla’s mother, Sian, met Lejla as a newborn in a Sarajevo hospital that had been attacked with bombs, sniper fire and grenades. Sian and her husband, Dan, were unable to leave Lejla behind, so they filed for adoption and took her home with them a few days later. In this powerful piece, Lejla also describes her experiences, her childhood, and how she came to understand and accept her past, as well as her journey of reconnection with her birth mother.

Sian and Dan on Lejla's first birthday

Woman and Home’s moving article is significant in amplifying the voices of people affected by wartime sexual violence. Rape in conflict is an ongoing issue that affects thousands of adults and children worldwide. At GRACE, we aim to support, empower, and advocate for children born of war, like Lejla, and the communities that experience conflict. We are proud of Lejla for speaking about her journey and for all the work she has done, and continues to do, to help other children born of war and their families. We are very grateful to have Lejla on our team.

Lejla and Sian

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Photos: Gareth Jones