Ukrainian refugee women face 'high rates' of violence in EU: rights agency

Ukrainian refugee women in the EU face alarming violence rates, with one in four experiencing physical or sexual abuse since the war.

Women who have fled the Ukraine war are experiencing "high rates" of physical, sexual and psychological violence in the European Union, the bloc's rights agency said on Tuesday (February 24, 2026), calling for better protection.

Some 2.5 million women and girls have left Ukraine since Russia invaded four years ago and been granted temporary protection in member states, but many face hurdles, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) said in a report.

"Despite the protections offered by the EU, many women suffer serious violations; others feel unsafe," FRA director Sirpa Rautio said.

"EU member states must ensure that women receive protection, support and justice for what they have endured so that they can rebuild their lives," she added.

One in four women from Ukraine have experienced physical or sexual violence since the start of the war, meaning they face a greater risk than the general population, according to FRA data.

Of them, 62% suffered the violence in one of the 27 EU states where they now live, and nine percent while fleeing to the EU, FRA added. 39% experienced the violence in Ukraine— in many cases at the hands of Russian forces.