“What were you wearing?” “What were you wearing?” This is a question that is often heard in one form or another by people who have experienced sexual violence. In fact, a person’s clothing, appearance, or behavior is never the cause of violence against them. The decision and responsibility for it always lies with the perpetrator. NGO “Girls” begins collecting testimonies for the exhibition “What were you wearing?”. If you …
Author: Oleksandra Kovalevska
Compassion fatigue
Fatigue from compassion You open the news in the morning. You see another story about a loss, shelling, a missing person, or someone's request for help. At first, you want to support, share, help, write a few words, but over time, a different feeling may appear: you can no longer react to new stories in the same way. You don't have the strength to empathize. You just want to close the feed. This doesn't mean that you have become indifferent. Sometimes it's...
Mobbing at work: how to recognize systematic harassment and protect your boundaries
Mobbing at work: how to recognize systematic harassment and protect your boundaries When a person is systematically humiliated, ignored, or made to feel superfluous at work, it is easy to write it off as “the difficult nature of colleagues” or ordinary work misunderstandings. Mobbing is systematic psychological or economic pressure on an employee by management or colleagues, which is aimed at degrading his/her dignity or forcing …
Passive aggression and microaggressions in everyday life: how to recognize the subtle details that systematically undermine self-esteem
Passive aggression and microaggressions in everyday life: how to recognize imperceptible details that systematically undermine self-esteem Passive aggression is a way of expressing irritation, resentment or dissatisfaction not directly, but indirectly. A person may not say: “I’m angry with you”, but demonstratively ignore, respond coldly, deliberately delay agreements, do something “as if by accident” or use sarcasm. For example: — “Of course, do as you want. You are in …
Why normalizing the first outbursts of aggression blocks the way out of toxic relationships
Why normalizing the first outbursts of aggression blocks the way out of a toxic relationship “He/She is just tired.” “He/She is going through a difficult time right now.” “He/She didn’t mean to offend me.” “Well, everyone can lose their temper sometimes.” This is how the first manifestations of aggression in a relationship can be explained. Especially if before that the partner behaved caringly, supported, was attentive and did not give obvious reasons to doubt his/her attitude. However, the problem is that …
Psychological flexibility: how to act even when it's difficult inside
Psychological flexibility: how to act even when it's difficult inside We can't always control what we feel. We can wake up anxious, sad, afraid of change, or doubt our own abilities. Sometimes we just want to postpone an important task, not respond to a message, not go to a meeting, or turn down an opportunity that seems too scary. Psychological flexibility is the ability to notice our own thoughts, emotions, and …
Decenter Men: when there is more to life than just relationships
Decenter Men: When there is a place in life not only for relationships “Decenter Men” is a concept that has been actively discussed in recent years. It is not about abandoning relationships, marriages, or men in general. And even less about hating them. “Decenter Men” suggests asking yourself a different question: what remains in my life if I remove the search for a partner from it for a certain period of time and …
You should have gotten back in shape by now: how societal pressure on women after giving birth affects mental health
"You should have gotten back in shape by now": how societal pressure on women after giving birth affects mental health "I've let myself down", "I need to lose weight urgently", "Something is wrong with me". The body can change after giving birth After giving birth, the body gradually recovers, but this process does not happen the same for everyone. It is influenced by: the presence of complications after childbirth, breastfeeding, sleep, nutrition, the level of physical and …
Why seeking psychological support should become the norm
Why seeking psychological support should become the norm For a long time, there was a stereotype that seeking help from a mental health professional was a last resort, resorted to only when "everything was really bad." For example, men were taught to be a "wall," to withstand any load, and to silently overcome challenges. However, the reality in which we live requires a revision of outdated ideas. Given the present, seeking help from a mental health professional is a last resort, which is resorted to only when "everything was really bad." For example, men were taught to be a "wall," to withstand any load, and to silently overcome challenges. However, the reality in which we live requires a revision of outdated ideas. Given the present, seeking help from a mental health professional is a last resort.
GREVIO's first report on Ukraine: achievements, gaps and next steps
GREVIO’s first report on Ukraine: achievements, gaps and next steps On 4 September 2026, GREVIO — the Council of Europe’s independent expert group on combating violence against women and domestic violence — published its first baseline report on Ukraine’s implementation of the Istanbul Convention. The experts noted the political will and changes that Ukraine has achieved despite full-scale Russian aggression. At the same time, they drew attention to the fact that the envisaged …
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