Elected officials, associations, but also simple neighbors: in Ukraine, everyone accuses Russian soldiers of sexual violence, except for their victims who usually remain silent.
In mid-April, a fortnight after the departure of Moscow troops from the kyiv region, President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced “hundreds of rape cases” in the liberated areas, including minor girls and toddlers.
On Monday, Attorney General Iryna Venediktova announced the trial in the absentia of a Russian soldier, accused of killing a man and raping his wife along with other soldiers.
In early April, a woman who had left the city of Kherson, which has been occupied by Russian forces since the beginning of March, told AFP, on condition of anonymity, how she was raped in her home by two soldiers. after being denounced as the wife of a Ukrainian soldier.
But these public testimonies are very rare. In Boutcha, at the gates of the capital, where hundreds of corpses were discovered after the departure of Russian troops at the end of March, residents evoked these tragedies in hidden words.
A doctor told me that for a month the ambulance only took women with this problemtold AFP Volodymyr Strilets, a 45 -year -old plumber, had crossed paths in the martyred city.
Wearing his black cloak, Father Andriï Galavin, of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, considered it better not to discuss the subject so that these women can continue the course of their lives.
He just tells his followers to violate[e] is not sin.
Stereotypes that are hard to break
In Ukraine, there are still large stereotypes about rapesaid Yulia Sporych, founder of the organization Divchata (girls). According to him, the suspicion that the victims may have motivated their attacker has not yet completely disappeared, so they are often silent.
Her association has opened a dedicated line to help people who have been raped since the war began on Feb. 24. Right now, we mainly accept requests from relatives, or volunteers, but not directly from victims.he says.
Specialist NGO La Strada has set up a comparable number. At the end of May, he received only 13 calls, about 17 people, including to a man. He said he was “embarrassed” so he refused to see a doctorexplained Ioulia Anassova, NGO lawyer.
Of these victims, all were raped by Russian soldiers, often in their homesonly three filed a complaint. They are not more ready to go to the police than to seek medical treatmentsaid the lawyer.
Despite recent progress, investigators remain poorly trained in dealing with these cases and still subject victims to some interrogation and disappointing medical examinations, contrary to international recommendations, Ms. . Anassova.
In a month in the field, a special police unit was able to identify 13 victims of sex crimes in the Kyiv region, according to figures released by Deputy Interior Minister Kateryna Pavlichenko.
A matter of time
For military psychologist Natalia Zaratska, it is too early to collect the testimonies of the victims. It will be more realistic to talk to them in six months, they will be able to control their memory betterhe says. A criminal investigation requires information, not emotions.
On the other hand, he considers it urgent to give them psychological support as soon as possible. But they will not come to us, so we have to go to them.
At least three times a week, this energetic woman goes to Boutcha. I started chatting, organizing groups around public services, then answering personal questions, on recommendation.
Three other psychologists are present in this area, when needed. 12 or 16he says.
According to him, the victims of rape – survivorsaccording to him – speak, but when they are in the presence of someone who understands that during war rape is a form of torture.
It is also necessary, according to the psychologist, that they be sure that their secrets will not be revealed.
However, several personalities have published bad details, including the former person in charge of human rights in Parliament, Lioudmyla Denissova, who was fired on Tuesday, who notably published on social networks the story of a girl who was raped. with a small spoon.
This is completely unethicaljudge Natalia Zaratska. It can create secondary trauma of the victims, he explains. If society is more sensitive, we can hear more from victims.
Source: Radio-Canada
