Not a Single Safe Place – Ukrainian Women After 2 years of war. As the world’s attention shifts, the pain of Ukrainian refugees, particularly women, remains a largely forgotten tragedy amidst the ongoing conflict.

A study back in 2022 conducted by the University of Birmingham under the SEREDA Project tried to shed light on the harrowing experiences the Ukrainian women fleeing the war will have to endure, exposing them to sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking, and exploitation, even as they seek refuge.

The study showed that the conflict in Ukraine has resulted in an unprecedented scale of forced displacement, with a staggering number of women and children being uprooted from their homes. As they escape the horrors of war, many find themselves vulnerable to exploitation and abuse at the hands of human traffickers. Displaced Ukrainian women, already traumatized by the violence of war, now face further danger as they navigate their way to places of refuge.

Not a Single Safe Place – Ukrainian Women After 2 years of war

Interviews conducted with refugees and service providers in Poland highlighted the pervasive nature of sexual and gender-based violence experienced by displaced women. Shockingly, every single woman interviewed had been subjected to some form of violence, ranging from physical and verbal abuse to sexual exploitation.

One of the most alarming findings of the study was the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war by Russian forces. Women and children are targeted and subjected to rape as a means to humiliate and terrorize the Ukrainian population. Human traffickers have ruthlessly exploited their vulnerability, particularly targeting Ukrainian women, who have fallen victim to sex trafficking rings in various destinations, including Dubai and the UAE.

The study called for urgent action to address the systemic failures in protecting and supporting displaced women in both Ukraine and Poland, however, not much has been done to the day.