“P.the longer the journey they face, the greater the risks they can run into ». Thus tells the odyssey of Ukrainian women fleeing the war Arianna Martin, expert in their protection and protection for ActionAid on the Romanian border. “End up in trafficking, suffering violence, scams and labor exploitation: these are dangers that a single woman can encounter at every street corner, at every car that stops to offer a ride or a promise of freedom “.
Dangers that materialize in neighboring countries, such as Poland and Romania, but which are found in the countries of arrival. Also in Italy. In our country there were the first reports of decoy announcements on social networks for unsafe housing and “risky” jobs: job offers as an au pair or caregiver and hospitality offers for single women without children who are not what they appear to be.
Ukrainian women in criminal networks
Arianna Martin, expert in the protection of women for ActionAid (photo ActionAid)
Criminal exploitation networks immediately appeared very active, ever since the outbreak of the war. “In addition to being present in the transit points on the Polish and Romanian borders, they try to hook up Ukrainian women through social media, by contacting them on different platforms, offering accommodation, free transport and then a job to European countries, including Italy ”, explains Arianna Martin. «As ActionAid we have collected reports of scams and attempted violence against single Ukrainian women who have accepted passages from alleged benefactors. Furthermore, trauma, shame and linguistic difficulties can delay the emergence and reporting of these episodes of violence ». Not knowing who to report to or having knowledge of the emergency numbers also risks aggravating the situation.
Ukrainian women, inform them to protect them
Here it is then the first protective measure is to «inform Ukrainian women of the risks. They need to know their rights and understand how they can fit into new contexts. What documents do they need? Can they open a bank account? Can they apply for asylum, what do they need if they want to? If they are unable, for example, to find a job that leads them to have an income to support themselves and their children the risk is that they may end up in unsafe situations and find themselves forced into prostitution or to accept jobs that are actually pure exploitation of the person»Explains Arianna Martin. It is she who tells us two symbolic stories.
The story Olga cheated by those who promised her freedom
Olga – not her real name – left her hometown in Ukraine as soon as the war started. She left with a guy she met online, on the dating app Badooand who told her he was Italian. Faced with the possibility of saving himself and having a safe way out of her country, he accepted her help.
Once on the road, the man asks her for money for gasoline, 500 euros. She hands them to him. And then money for the maintenance of the car. The demands increase so much that she finds herself giving him everything she has. But as soon as he crosses the border, he disappears, leaving her alone, without money and contacts. Without knowing where to go. Without being able to communicate. Olga has no family or friends outside of Ukraine and she starts thinking about going back. She does not do it simply because her work is no longer there, her apartment is no longer there, her country is no longer there as she has known it. And above all because she, however, has no money to travel.
Fortunately, Olga manages to get in touch with the volunteers of an NGO but she could have met someone else who, again, could offer her transport and accommodation to rob or rape her. Volunteers put her on a bus bound for Nuremberg in Germany. But her odyssey is not over. On the bus she dozes off and does not get off at the right stop: she finds herself in Budapest where she is asked to change buses and she finds herself lost again in a country whose language she does not know. In the end, her NGO that had taken care of her tracks her down and risks taking her to safety and to their destination. She now she lives in Germany, and she is fine.
The story of Nina and who took advantage of her
Nina, 25, who fled Odessa (photo ActionAid)
Nina, 25, in Odessa he worked as a jewelry designer and in his spare time he loved walking his dogs and going to the gym. She today she is a refugee. “When the first bombs started falling near my city, my sister and I didn’t have time to hesitate: we had to leave immediately. It was hard to convince my mom, that she didn’t want to leave her pets, but she eventually came with us. ‘ It took them nine long hours to cross the Ukrainian border. They traveled through Moldova, crossing the border with Romania before reaching the city of Iași. They have decided to stay in Romania, because their priority is to go home as soon as possible. In Iași they rented an apartment. But after a few days, the owner decided to raise the price, making the rent impractical for their pockets.
Fortunately, Nina met a group of volunteers who provided her and her family with free housing. Nina is now a volunteer who welcomes refugees arriving at the Iași train station. “When they understand that I am Ukrainian, their faces light up. The other day I played a soccer match with the children and it was impressive to see their smiles. I’m doing what anyone in my place would have done. But I hope to be able to return to my country soon ».
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