Women fleeing the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine face abuse, harassment and exploitation, shows a survey report from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (EU FRA). One in four women report experiencing physical or sexual violence since the war started. Some report being physically or sexually humiliated by Russian forces during interrogations. One in four women received potentially exploitative offers for work, housing or transportation, and half say they were physically or verbally attacked in the EU for speaking Ukrainian. The report suggests how best to meet the needs of women victims of armed conflict so they can rebuild their lives.
Some 2.5 million women and girls have fled the war in Ukraine since February 2022 and have been granted temporary protection in the EU, including access to residence and employment.
The report ‘Seeking safety from war: violence and rights abuses against women from Ukraine’ examines the experiences of women, the risks they faced in fleeing the war and their lives in the EU. The findings reveal the trauma they face:
- abuse by Russian forces
- widespread violence against women
- high levels of sexual harassment
- risk of exploitation
- lack of support
- low levels of reporting to the police.
The report draws on interviews with 1,223 women who had fled Ukraine since the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine began on 24 February 2022. The interviews were conducted from March to June 2024 in Czechia, Germany and Poland.
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