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Shadows on the Home Front: The Burden of War on Ukrainian Women

  • Writer: Matthew Parish
    Matthew Parish
  • 6 hours ago
  • 5 min read


The Ukrainian war, with its violence, loss and prolonged uncertainty, has not only reshaped frontlines and national borders—it has altered the private lives and inner worlds of millions, particularly women. While the world often focuses on the battlefield, the burdens borne by women on the home front are quieter, more intimate and no less devastating. The emotional toll of prolonged separation from partners, the psychological strain of life under threat, and the rise in domestic abuse and substance dependency reveal a hidden conflict that must be recognised and addressed.


The Emotional Weight of Absence


One of the most widespread yet invisible hardships is the absence of husbands, partners and sons—men who have been mobilised or volunteered for military service. For many women, especially those raising children, running farms or businesses, or caring for elderly relatives, this absence has reshaped their daily lives.


With men away for months—sometimes years—at a time, women are left with the full weight of family responsibilities. The emotional pressure is compounded by the constant dread of bad news. Messages from the front are often brief and irregular, amplifying uncertainty. Young women describe the eerie quiet at night, when thoughts of loss loom largest. Older women who remember Soviet-era conflicts note the resemblance in silence and waiting, but often remark that this war feels more personal—closer, more relentless.


Intimate Violence in Wartime


War is known to increase the risk of domestic abuse, and Ukraine is no exception. The trauma of combat and displacement often manifests in cycles of violence at home. Some soldiers return from the front with undiagnosed or untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), their suffering turning inward—or outward. Women’s rights organisations report a rise in domestic violence in areas both near and far from the front.


The fear of stigma and the instability of wartime life make it even harder for women to report abuse. Shelters are overcrowded or underfunded, while police forces are often overextended. In many cases women remain in violent households out of fear, lack of alternatives, or through cultural expectations. The war, while prompting national solidarity, has also silenced some of the voices that need help the most.


The Strain of Living in a War Zone


The psychological impact of war on civilians is immense. For women, especially in frontline towns or under shelling, life becomes a cycle of vigilance, exhaustion and suppressed grief. Many suffer from chronic stress, anxiety, or depression. Panic attacks and insomnia are widespread. And yet Ukrainian society, like many others, still carries a stigma around mental illness.


Compounding this, substance abuse is quietly growing—both amongst men and women. Alcohol, easily available and culturally normalised, is a common outlet for emotional pain. In some cases women have turned to antidepressants or sedatives without medical supervision; or worse, to alcohol or narcotics, especially when facing poverty or isolation. The burden of raising children in war, often without support, is a powerful catalyst for emotional breakdowns. Stories emerge of mothers unable to afford therapy or unwilling to leave their children alone to attend sessions.


Seeking Support: The Promise and the Gaps


Ukrainian civil society has responded with extraordinary resilience. Volunteer-run support centres, online counselling services, mobile crisis units and informal networks of psychologists and social workers have sprung up across the country. Organisations such as La Strada Ukraine, Way Home and Woman for Woman are working to provide assistance, but their capacity is stretched thin.


International donors and NGOs have helped by funding trauma therapy programmes and training local professionals in wartime psychiatry. However the needs are vast. There are too few licensed therapists, especially in rural or heavily damaged regions. Wartime disruptions have also strained conventional domestic healthcare systems, leaving many women without consistent access to psychological services.


The Courage to Speak, and the Need to Listen


Despite the pain, many women are finding strength in solidarity. Online forums and neighbourhood circles serve as spaces to grieve, laugh, vent and endure. Teachers, nurses, artists and mothers are forming informal mutual aid groups. Widows speak at public gatherings. Wives of soldiers mobilise for better mental health support for veterans. In the face of violence, Ukrainian women continue to organise, advocate and persist.


But lasting healing will require more. It will require recognition from the state that the war’s impact on civilians—especially women—is not just collateral, but central to national recovery. It will require a cultural shift that encourages men to seek help and discourages cycles of violence. And it will require investing in a national mental health strategy that does not wait for peace, but begins now.


Conclusion


The war in Ukraine is a crucible not only for national identity and military strength, but for the resilience of the human spirit. For millions of women, this is a war waged in silence: a war of loss, longing, fear and hidden strength. Their suffering must not be ignored—and their healing must be prioritized. Ukraine’s future, like her present, depends as much on what happens behind closed doors as on the battlefield.


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A selection of organisations helping women in wartime Ukraine


La Strada–Ukraine


La Strada–Ukraine is a leading human rights organisation focusing on preventing domestic violence, human trafficking, and gender-based discrimination. They operate a national, toll-free hotline offering psychological, legal, and informational support to women across Ukraine. Their services have been crucial, especially as reports of domestic violence have increased during the war.


  • Website: la-strada.org.ua

  • Hotline: 0 800 500 335 (landlines) or 116 123 (mobiles)

  • Consultations via:



Women for Women International


This global organisation has extended its support to Ukrainian women by partnering with local groups to provide psychological, medical, and financial assistance. Their programs aim to empower women through skill-based training and psychosocial support, helping them rebuild their lives amidst the ongoing conflict.



Way Home – Odesa


Way Home is a Ukrainian NGO based in Odesa that has been supporting vulnerable populations since 1996. In the context of the current war, it plays a vital role in assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs), women and children in crisis, and survivors of domestic abuse and trafficking. The organisation provides shelter, hot meals, legal aid, psychosocial support and reintegration services. Its crisis centre offers emergency accommodation and psychological counseling for women fleeing violence or war-related trauma.


  • Website: wayhome.org.ua

  • Key Services:


    • Shelter and food for displaced families

    • Psychological and psychiatric counseling

    • Domestic violence crisis interventions

    • Reintegration and social support programs


  • Location: Odesa, Ukraine


Way Home has been a frontline actor in protecting and rehabilitating war-affected civilians in southern Ukraine, with a particular focus on women-led households and at-risk youth.


International Medical Corps


In collaboration with local centres like Egida, International Medical Corps offers mental health and gender-based violence support to civilians, particularly those displaced or living near front lines. Their services include psychological first aid and comprehensive mental health care.



Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)


MSF provides mental health services across Ukraine, offering psychological first aid, counselling and comprehensive care. Their mobile clinics reach rural areas, ensuring access to support for those affected by the trauma of war.



Plan International


Plan International focuses on the mental health of young women and girls affected by the conflict. They provide platforms for sharing experiences and accessing support, highlighting the hidden mental health crisis among Ukraine’s youth.



 
 

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