Liudmyla Kuts, 46 years old, is the acting director of the Nizhyn Сentre of Social Services in Chernihiv Oblast. For more than 15 years, Ms Kuts has devoted herself to work in the social sphere, focusing on preventing and fighting domestic and gender-based violence,* and making this her life’s mission.

Liudmyla shared her insights with us on how to navigate the field of social work in a context of war and how eventually strength can be found to break the cycle of violence.

Before the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the centre where Liudmyla works was working as usual: specialists assisted families in distress, conducted preventive work in communities and provided psychological assistance to women grappling with violence.

“When a woman facing violence reaches out to us, recognizing her fragile state is crucial. Choosing the right words and building trust by assuring we are here to help are paramount,” Liudmyla says. 

“Trust is the key, nothing will work without it,” she says.

A team of psychologists, social workers and lawyers work at the Nizhyn Centre, which uses an individual approach to each of the women who seeks help. The centre also has a crisis room where women, often with children, can find temporary refuge from the abuser and recover emotionally. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with funding from the European Union, helped to equip the day centre at the Nizhyn centre of social services, as well as the crisis room.

This is one of many initiatives that UNDP supports in five oblasts of Ukraine — Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, and Zakarpattia — to help communities more effectively combat violence. In particular, with UNDP support, 19 communities have already joined the “16 days against violence” campaign this year. Also, UNDP is systematically conducting educational training in communities so that they can more effectively prevent violence against women.

Before the war, with UNDP assistance, nine shelters were opened in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast, to provide temporary shelter to women who survived violence.

“I love helping people, and that’s why I love my job. It’s a simple philosophy, but it inspires me and fills me with strength,” says Ms Kuts about her motivation.

“We often work with complex cases. One thing works, another doesn't. My heart aches every single time when a woman, for various reasons, cannot get away from an abuser. We cannot force her. It should be her decision. You must find strength to do it.”

“However, despite the difficulties, no matter how hard the decision is, one should not be afraid to ask for help,” Liudmyla emphasizes.

“We are always here, ready to help.”

Liudmyla says that over her years of working in this field, she has seen many positive and systemic changes in society.

“The stateʼs interest in this problem has increased. Ukraine has ratified the Istanbul Convention, and violence is not covered up, and offenders are punished more often.”

“Offenders must be punished, there is no other way to stop them.”

Liudmyla said that although the war has disrupted the centre’s work, it did not stop it. She reported that the first days of the full-scale invasion were very terrifying indeed, but when she realized that her team had stayed right beside her, the fear disappeared.