Trembling and bitterly afraid of the daily shower of bombs and the wail of sirens, many women have been hiding in their homes or in air-raid shelters since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But what if the real danger is within the same four walls? Many victims of domestic violence seek help in the midst of war, but no one is currently receiving help.
It took her a long time to gather her strength to leave her husband, Kristina (not her real name) tells The Kyiv Independent. A few days before the Russian invasion on February 24, she finally decided to take the plunge and move with her mother to a village near Mykolaiv.
But her mother got sick from Corona and they decided to wait until she recovered. Now she is trapped in her apartment in Mykolayiv with her husband, leaving alone to do some shopping or go to the bomb shelter.
“Sometimes I don’t want to leave the shelter, even if there’s no air raid siren. At least he doesn’t hit me when we’re surrounded by other people. I have a feeling that if the Russians don’t kill me, maybe he will,” says Kristina . Since the start of the war, her husband had become even more violent than usual. He once beat her in the stomach because he thought she was flirting with a neighbor while she was hiding in the bomb shelter.
“He said I laughed too nice and then started hitting me,” she recalls.
Difficult to count casualties since the beginning of the war
Kristina’s story is not unique. Deputy Interior Minister Kateryna Pavlichenko reported that about 326,000 cases of domestic violence were registered in Ukraine last year. Accurate counting is currently difficult, however, as many victims do not contact the police or simply do not have the opportunity to do so due to active hostilities.
Law enforcement agencies, especially in places where hostilities take place, often do not respond to calls, exacerbating the problem, explains Alyona Krivulyak, one of the heads of La Strada Ukraine. Even in cities where there is no active struggle, access to aid is difficult, explains Marta Chumalo, co-founder of the nonprofit Women’s Perspectives in Lviv.
Command not possible
Before the war, the police could issue a restraining order requiring the perpetrator to leave the building within ten days. This is now only possible in regions where the security situation allows it. Due to the fighting, the police cannot force the perpetrator to leave his home, Krivulyak said.
seek help in medical institutions
If it’s not possible to contact the police, women can get help in medical facilities, recommends Krivulyak. She also explains: “Victims can also contact the Territorial Defense Forces. Although they do not have the power to prosecute, they can carry out the order.” Psychotherapist Maria Fabrycheva advises family and close friends to ask for help.
But victims often don’t see the benefit of leaving because they hope that “tomorrow everything will be fine and he will change,” Fabrycheva said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
