As of early December, 348 Ukrainians have received payments under the interim reparations program for war-related sexual violence. Most of the requests are from men, not women.
Human rights activist Lyudmila Huseynova spoke about this in an interview with hromadske.
Reparations program: how it works and who can apply
The Verkhovna Rada adopted a law in the fall that recognizes the status of victims of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
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The document also provides for compensation and additional assistance for these people. The initiative is running a pilot programme funded by international partners.
A special Commission has been involved in the implementation of the program, which reviews appeals from victims. According to Lyudmila Guseinova, the Commission also includes the victims themselves, because they understand the nature of the problem best.
The members of the Commission ensure complete confidentiality when reviewing applications, encode all data and do not communicate directly with the victims.
First results of the program
As of the beginning of December 2024, 577 applications were submitted, of which:
- 333 from men,
- 232 from women,
- 12 concerned children (applications were submitted by their legal representatives).
348 people received payments of 3,000 euros (in hryvnia equivalent):
- 185 men,
- 160 women,
- 3 children.
The program is designed to help 500 victims, but thanks to the support of donors it can be extended to another 600 people.
Confidentiality as a key condition
Human rights activist Lyudmila Guseinova notes that the main condition for receiving assistance is a guarantee of confidentiality. The applicant is not obliged to contact law enforcement agencies or initiate criminal proceedings.
All applications are submitted through special managers, and the Commission members do not have access to the identification data of applicants.
— Everything is done to ensure that this is not traumatic for the person who applies. Minimum bureaucracy, minimum of any supporting papers, etc., – emphasized Huseynova.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that according to a UN report, as of June 2024, 342 cases of sexual violence committed by Russian military personnel in Ukraine were documented. However, the real figures are much higher.
