The Ukrainian Red Cross supports the All-Ukrainian Campaign “16 Days Against Violence”

You can change someone’s life by paying attention to them, listening to them, and standing by their side.

The Ukrainian Red Cross supports the All-Ukrainian Campaign “16 Days Against Violence,” which runs from 25 November to 10 December. The campaign aims to raise public awareness about issues such as domestic violence, gender-based violence, child abuse, and human trafficking.

Today, we would like to remind everyone that one of the most frightening aspects faced by every survivor of violence is the feeling of isolation and abandonment—being left to face the problem alone. In some communities, survivors may even be blamed for what happened. Instead of bringing the perpetrator to justice, victims of molestation, sexual, emotional, physical, or other forms of violence may be stigmatised.

The Ukrainian Red Cross reminds everyone that you can change someone’s life by simply paying attention to them and standing by their side.

But how can you do this without causing harm?

• Be an attentive listener—do not interrupt or judge if the person is ready to share their experience with you.
• Thank them for their courage in disclosing the violence, reassure them that they are not alone, that you support them, and that they are not to blame for what happened.
• Encourage them to seek medical care at the nearest healthcare facility if physical violence has occurred.
• If it is safe, remind them that they can ask for support from family, friends, or loved ones.
• Always treat the person with dignity and respect their right to choose. Maintain confidentiality.

You can also advise a survivor to seek support from specialised services:

15 47 — the government hotline for victims of domestic violence, including violence against children (free of charge from both mobile and landline phones).

0 800 500 335 — the national hotline for the prevention of domestic violence, human trafficking, and gender discrimination.

The Ukrainian Red Cross emphasises that any form of violence against a person, regardless of their gender, is a violation of human rights and discrimination. One of the key activities of the Ukrainian Red Cross is to protect human rights and freedoms, ensuring equality regardless of gender, religion, race, country of residence, or other factors.