The Hidden Front of Russia’s War

One direct consequence of Russia’s war against Ukraine has been an increase in gender-based violence (GBV). If left unaddressed, this trend has the potential to disrupt Ukrainian society for decades to come. The reasons for this increase range from sexual violence perpetrated by Russian troops to increased domestic violence among Ukrainians due to war-related stress and trauma. 

To counter its negative effects, Ukraine’s international supporters should address GBV both through their short-term support and their long-term recovery planning. Effective support mechanisms must be adaptable and enduring to address the evolving needs of survivors and communities. Therefore, fostering strategic partnerships between local and international actors is imperative for creating lasting positive change and resilience in Ukrainian society.

This policy brief presents recommendations for what international actors should do and how they should work with Ukrainian partners to achieve these objectives.

The full brief is available for download in English (and forthcoming in Ukrainian).

This is the third policy brief in our series​“Feminist Perspectives for Supporting Ukraine.” The corresponding project is supported by the Stabilisation Platform, which is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. It also builds on GPPi’s previous research on the conflict in Ukraine and feminist foreign policy.

About the author: Galyna Kotliuk is a feminist human rights defender and activist with expertise on gender and LGBTQ+ issues. She is currently a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, where she researches gender-based violence as part of Ukraine’s recovery, and also serves as the Gender Democracy program coordinator for the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s Kyiv office.