DNIPRO, Ukraine – Amid ongoing insecurity across Ukraine, domestic and gender-based violence have surged, heightening the dangers for people already living under constant uncertainty. In the city of Dnipro, which has become a refuge for thousands of displaced people, municipal services operate daily to support survivors of gender-based violence. Among them is a psychosocial support mobile team, where specialists Vita and Maryna provide professional assistance to those who have endured violence and need help beginning their recovery.

First steps toward realizing “this is not normal.”

“People reach out to us by phone or come in person. Every story is unique. Some call just to talk, others want to know what to do next. There are also those who still cannot accept that what they are experiencing is violence – they are only beginning to suspect it,” explained Vita.

For many, that first call or meeting becomes a turning point – when they begin to understand that help exists and that violence should never be normalized.

One story, Vita recalled, left a deep impression on her. A woman lived with her husband for three years. He beat and humiliated her, while she kept convincing herself she was the one at fault. “She told us terrible things that had happened to her, but continued to justify his actions, saying maybe he had a difficult childhood,” Vita said.

After a lengthy conversation, the woman decided to go and live with her parents in another region. “We shared information on where she could turn for help. She understood that there was a problem – and that was already an important step forward,” said Vita.

A chance to start over

Another important step is to help people understand that violence can come in different forms, not only physical abuse. Maryna, the other mobile team specialist, noted that economic dependence is often the main reason survivors remain with their abusers. “Many women who experience economic violence do not have access to money, even for basic hygiene items. But when a person has a job, an income, and a place to live, they start to feel that they can stand on their own.”

Maryna remembered one woman who reached out through the police, unsure of how to break away from her abuser when she had two small children to care for: “We explained what services were available, including free legal aid. Later, she got divorced, found a job, and became financially independent. It is very important when a woman can make her own decisions.”

That is why even small things – such as UNFPA’s dignity kits that provide essential hygiene supplies – can have great significance. Beyond meeting basic needs, they often become an entry point for psychosocial support: a first moment of contact when survivors learn that help exists and that they are not alone. These kits not only restore a sense of dignity but can also open the door to longer-term recovery and empowerment for those who have lived for years in dependency and fear.

Supporting those who have nowhere else to turn

Not every person, however, can reach out for help. It is particularly difficult for older people who may be socially isolated or depend on their abusers, including their own family members.

To make sure help reaches as many people as possible, the mobile team regularly goes into city neighbourhoods, distributing information about available services and contacts for psychosocial support to people on the street, in parks and through community centres or nursing homes.

Vita and Maryna acknowledge that not every case ends in complete success. Working with survivors of gender-based violence requires both patience and resilience. “Sometimes it is hard,” Vita admitted. But she said what keeps the team going is seeing their support turn into action: “It helps when you see people start to make changes in their lives. Not everyone does, but some listen and that is when you understand your work truly matters.”

Even the smallest connection or conversation could change or save a person’s life. “We cannot make decisions for someone,” Vita said. “But we can be there when a person is ready to take their first step.”

UNFPA thanks the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) for supporting gender-based violence response efforts in Ukraine, including psychosocial support and the provision of dignity kits.