Today, in Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen and many other places in the world where there are ongoing conflicts, women are facing appalling violence and suffering. Women and children make up around 80% of the world’s displaced people due to conflict, and are more likely to be victims of trafficking.
Despite this, women are also resilient builders of communities and defenders of human rights during wartime. Investing in women’s participation in peacebuilding and conflict resolution is a key way in which we can work together to reduce the risk of future conflict and build healthy societies. The war in Ukraine has exposed women to the dangers of violence, both as a weapon of war and during the journey out of Ukraine to seek safety and shelter. As well as providing food and shelter, Caritas works to help women to heal from the physical and psychological trauma which this violence inflicts.
Aliona recounted her journey: “I fled from Bakhmut and found myself in Kyiv with no shelter or resources to survive. I had endured suffering and violence. When I turned to Caritas for help, I received more than just food and clothes; they helped me with accommodation and employment. I didn’t know what human trafficking was, and I mistakenly believed it might be my fault. I wondered why I had to endure so much suffering and be sexually exploited for my survival and my children’s sake.”
Maryna, a young woman from the Kyiv region, shared her harrowing experience: “I did whatever they told me to do in order to survive. They threatened and raped me. Those weeks felt like a year to me. One night, when there were no soldiers around for two nights, another girl and I managed to escape through a hole.”
After receiving psychological, medical, and material assistance from Caritas, Maryna went to Bulgaria. She now works as a translator and says, “The compassionate and human approach of the Caritas staff highlights their professionalism. Thank you! I can now talk about my experience without tears and shame. I wasn’t the only one in such a situation, and it’s not my fault.”