Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine has been described as a crisis for women and girlswith the increase in cases of conflict-related sexual violence.
Because of this, Hrystyna Kit, co-founder of JurFemthe Association of Women Lawyers of Ukraine, has found itself fighting a rising tide of gender-based violence.
As the Russian invasion erodes the security of Ukrainians across the country, the risk to women and girls is doubled.
“There is no doubt that no one feels safe because of Russia’s war against Ukraine and women and girls are even less protected from gender-based violence. Rape, usually gang rape, sexual torture, forced nudity, and other forms of abuse have been documented by journalists, human rights organizations, and law enforcement agencies,” Kit said.
The true scale of this violence is not yet known, Kit added, but what is clear is that its impacts will be lasting.
“We will have to work with the consequences for many years to come,” says the lawyer.
Domestic violence continues
At the same time, women still face endemic violence in their own society.
“Cases of domestic or sexual violence against women, particularly in public places, have not disappeared,” she says. “People who were abusive and violent within the family continue to commit acts of violence.”
The ongoing conflict has made progress against such domestic violence much more difficult.Kit stressed: “It is difficult to make progress in the fight against violence against women when you live in a state of war and fight for your life and the lives of your children every day.”
overcome divergence
Beginning her legal career in 2007, Kit saw a critical gap in legal assistance for survivors of domestic violence.
“There weren’t many lawyers willing to work on these cases, because they often involve latent crimes,” he says.
Domestic violence is generally considered a private matter, and the legal system tends to shift the responsibility for handling such cases onto the victims themselves.
Kit set out to change this.
“I want me and other women and girls in Ukraine to feel safe and to know that if their rights are violated, receive effective protection, without prejudice, discrimination or stigma“, said.
In 2017, she took a big step toward this goal with the founding of JurFem, but the organization’s recent work has been shaped by the unfolding crisis.
It is now collaborating with other partners to ensure that survivors of conflict-related sexual violence receive protection and support from law enforcement and service providers.
It has also been providing legal assistance directly to survivors, launching a legal assistance hotline in April.
“It is possible to change our approach to investigating cases related to sexual violence only through experience and practice,” says Kit.
A mother and her son live in a refugee center in Lviv after being forced to flee violence in Zaporizhska, Ukraine.
break stereotypes
Even the strongest legal protections cannot convince police or judges to believe a survivor.
But by communicating with law enforcement agencies and the courts, “JurFem lawyers can break existing stereotypes and ensure access to justice for victims.”
While her own advocacy work draws on her legal training and decades of experience, Kit emphasizes that you don’t need special skills or knowledge to get involved in a cause: “Each and every one of us should work to change something for the good of others.”.
What activism does require, he says, is community and caring.
“Join, get support from like-minded people and forces. Take care of your safety and your mental health and do what you think is right, take care of yourself so you can take care of others ”, she assures.
Never more
“Nowadays, it is especially difficult to imagine a world without gender violencesays Kit. “After all, if we weren’t able to prevent this war, will we be able to eradicate gender-based violence?”
But he does believe that we can reduce its prevalence by creating better response mechanisms and bringing perpetrators to justice. And he believes in a better future for Ukrainian women and girls: “It must be
bring justice so that this never happens again.”
16 days of activism
An annual international campaign calling for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls is launched on November 25. The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence begin on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and extend until December 10, Human Rights Day.
