24
February
2026

Seeking Safety from War – Violence and rights abuses against women from Ukraine

The start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022 shocked the global community and gave rise to a
series of urgent fundamental rights challenges across Europe. While much attention has focused on the scale of devastation and its wider impact on all Ukrainians, the war has also inflicted profound personal harm. This report sheds light on the violence, sexual harassment and exploitation experienced by women displaced from Ukraine. Drawing on a survey and in-depth interviews with women from Ukraine, the report documents the prevalence, forms and patterns of gender-based violence and sets out practical measures to improve safety, access to justice and support.
Overview

As conflict heightens women’s risk of abuse and exploitation, many women left Ukraine and sought safety in the EU. Despite receiving legal protections in the EU, FRA's findings show that gender-based violence is widespread. 

In this report:

  • Survey in a nutshell
  • Key findings and FRA opinions
  • Introduction 
  1. Living in the shadow of the war
  2. Support and safety
  3. Experiences of exploitation and potentially exploitative offers
  4. Extent and nature of violence experienced in Ukraine, during transit and in the EU
  5. Sexual harassment
  6. Reporting experiences of violence and sexual harassment to the police and contact with other services
  • Conclusions
  • Annex 1: Methodology
  • Annex 2: Socio-demographic profile of the respondents