"I believe that people should care about survivors without having to hear their stories

Last November, I was moved by a powerful words from a survivor of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) and leader in our joint work in Ukraine. She shared how, when she first began to speak out on behalf of herself and other survivors, she felt as though all she had was her story. She was being invited to spaces of influence and feeling like she did not have the expertise to contribute effectively. However, with time – and support from survivor advocates, UN agencies and others – she and others built strong networks of survivors and a robust set of tools to advocate for better policies and programmes on behalf of survivors like herself.

Today a recognized voice on CRSV survivor rights, both in Ukraine and globally, she is working with other survivors and survivor advocates to build a better future, based on justice and support for those in Ukraine who have suffered similar horrors. Her story reminds me of the importance, not only of creating space at the table for survivors, but equipping them with the tools, resources and institutional capacity to direct the conversation. It is also a reminder of the message from so many groups in Ukraine: Nothing About Us Without Us!

Understanding conflict-related sexual violence

To understand CRSV and its differences from other forms of violence, we must first understand that this type of violence has a direct or indirect link to a conflict or war. Globally, CRSV is used to demean, scare, shame, and elicit compliance. Stigma surrounding sexual violence often prevents survivors from coming forward to report it. It undermines social cohesion and can destroy communities and families.

A soldier may rape a civilian in a community that they consider to be the enemy and because that individual represents an opposing side in war. In some cases, and countries, perpetrators have raped survivors in front of family members, inflicting long-term trauma on the entire family and even on future generations.

Sexual violence caused by war in Ukraine

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has recorded over 780 cases of sexual violence caused by the war. Most were committed by Russian authorities against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians held in captivity in occupied areas of Ukraine or in Russia. Although women were also affected, most cases involved men.

According to an OHCHR report issued in September 2025, more than 92 percent of released civilian detainees interviewed since June 2023 gave consistent and detailed accounts of having been subjected to torture during their captivity, which included sexual violence.

Civilian detainees reported rape, attempted rape, electric shocks, beatings to the genitals, forced nudity, degrading treatment, and threats of sexual violence. In residential neighborhoods within occupied areas, Russian soldiers also committed sexual violence against civilians, mainly women. Survivors reported rape, gang rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and harassment.

Ukrainian women are suffering, but men are too

CRSV is often associated with violence used against women and children. My title in Ukraine is officially "Senior Women's Protection Advisor", even though a significant portion of the cases of CRSV documented by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission are perpetrated against men. Many reports come from civilian detainees and former prisoners-of-war, where those affected are mostly men. Gendered stereotypes and stigma have an impact here. It can be incredibly difficult for a man to come out and say, "This happened to me", and to be heard. Even when men do report they, sometimes fail to receive adequate support.

Assumptions about who is affected by CRSV impact services available. One of the directors of a local women's rights organization I work closely with recounted to me an experience where funding cuts in 2025 meant they were forced to close services for sexual violence response which served men, as well as women. A male survivor of CRSV came to their centre asking for help, but they were unable to assist him.

Imagine being put in that situation, both for the local organization and for the survivor. According to humanitarian principles, anyone seeking help should have equal access. That organization has since managed to re-opened their services for male survivors, but continuity of services for survivors of CRSV irrespective of gender or age, is at risk.

The UN, in partnership with the Government of Ukraine and civil society groups, is working to ensure our joint approach to CRSV prevention and response is not only survivor-centred, but gender-inclusive. We are also working on inclusion of other groups which may face unique challenges to accessing services and information, including ethnic minorities and LGBTQI+ communities.

The voice of survivors has grown

Ukraine stands out as a global leader for its government partnership with survivors and those who work with them, as well as its commitment to raising awareness about the issue.

When I started working on CRSV two years ago, survivors mostly participated in meetings by sharing their personal stories. Today, they are increasingly leading conversations and directing the agenda through survivor networks and survivor-led organizations.

There are currently eight survivor networks: two female and six male ones, with three launched just in 2025. They serve as a critical link to their communities, supporting survivors with referrals to services and legal assistance, providing a community for those not yet ready to come forward, and advocating on behalf of their members to maintain visibility of these crimes. And for some, they are expanding to provide services for survivors directly.

Founded in August 2025 with support from IOM and others, the male survivor network, Way of Freemen, has already partnered with the Regional Administration of Zaporizhzhia Oblast to launch a clinic for specialized health services for survivors of CRSV, among other crimes. The clinic serves men and women survivors, free of charge, and responds to one of the biggest priorities voice by survivor networks: affordable specialized health services.

Whether they are set to implement the services or sit at the table with decision-makers, the role of the United Nations is clear – to continue supporting their development until they no longer need it.

In 2024, Ukraine adopted its first law recognizing CRSV survivors and their right to reparations. Police and service providers are now using more survivor-centred and trauma-informed approaches, supported by measures like dedicated interview rooms. In addition, some regional authorities have set aside funding for CRSV work in their 2026 plans to help sustain these efforts.

Response for the community

In 2022, UNFPA and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration launched a one-stop shop model across the country, known as Survivor Relief Centers. The centres are not necessarily focused on sexual violence only, and case serve other survivors of various types of violations. But everyone who works there is specifically trained in how to handle CRSV. That means that any person – regardless of gender or age - doesn't need to feel stigmatized to visit the center.

I visited the Centre in Lviv last year, where they receive a high number of displaced people from different communities across Ukraine. In a single meeting, we were able to identify gaps in outreach to LGBTQI+ communities, and particularly those displaced from their home regions, and connect them with a local organization working with these groups. The two entities are now coordinating, exchanging referrals and building trust. This collaborative approach is critical to ensure that survivors served include those from communities which may not trust service providers outside their own communities.

What does the future for survivors look like?

To understand how to make a better future for CRSV survivors, we have to understand the unique challenges from the survivor perspective and hear them when they tell us what they need.

This requires long term investment in survivors – in their networks, in reparations based on their expressed needs and priorities, and in creating spaces and support to maintain and drive the momentum already set in Ukraine.

The joint work of the government, the United Nations, civil society, and frontline professionals has strengthened Ukraine's response to sexual violence caused by the war in Ukraine. Thousands of specialists have been trained, improving support for survivors and making it easier to access services. Referral systems in pilot regions are now more efficient, and better coordination and service mapping have improved overall access for survivors to life-saving assistance.

This work towards ensuring the rights and justice for survivors is fundamentally an investment in national stability, prosperity, equity and the transition to Ukraine-led, long-term recovery, at the national level and in oblasts and hromadas across the country.

Our collective commitment is therefore urgently needed to ensure progress is not lost, accountability and justice for survivors is ensured, and that survivors' rights are upheld as part of Ukraine's long-term recovery.