Oleh's family lived in a small town in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. They were well known and respected there, as both spouses worked in education. But their lives were destroyed with the occupation. Oleh was demanded to cooperate with the occupying authorities. He categorically refused, and that choice cost him his freedom and health.
His refusal to cooperate with the enemy led to his captivity, torture, and inhuman abuse. In total, he spent 34 days in captivity — first in basements in his hometown, then in a neighboring town, where he was forced to perform exhausting slave labor. During that time, Oleh was subjected to psychological pressure as he was threatened with death and rape of his wife and children, and was deprived of sleep. The physical violence from the occupiers was no less cruel, including torture with electric shock, blows to the head and body, and beatings for slowness in performing forced labor. The man also experienced sexual violence. Oleh's younger brother was also captured and, according to Oleh, suffered even more. These memories still cause the man pain today.
When the occupiers released him to “consider cooperation,” he did not hesitate, quickly took his family, and left before they had time to send out a warrant for his arrest. So the family lost their home and everything they had built over the years, and started a new life in another city, having saved the most precious thing — their freedom.
But the experience did not pass without a trace. Oleh developed serious health problems and severe psychological trauma. He did not ask anyone for help for a long time because he did not believe that anyone could support him. It was only in a self-help group that he first heard about the NGO Girls and decided to take a step towards getting support. That was when the organization's team got involved. The specialists helped Oleh navigate the complicated process of obtaining disability status, which enabled him to receive treatment and social protection. The man's family was provided with financial assistance to rent housing, and for the first time since his captivity, the family felt safe and stable. An important part of the support was the restoration of Oleh's inner strength, namely, psychological counseling and communication with people who had gone through similar trials helped the man reduce his anxiety and regain his self-confidence.
Today, Oleh speaks more calmly, smiles more, and is beginning to make plans for the future for himself and his family. His story shows that a person is capable of recovering even after the most terrible trials if they have support nearby.
The assistance is provided within the project “Strengthening Access and Service Provision for SRH Support and GBV Prevention among Conflict-Affected Women and Girls in Eastern and Southern Ukraine” in cooperation with the international humanitarian organization CARE, with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
