Access to Protection from Domestic Violence for LBT* Women in Ukraine: Legal Analysis and Recommendations

Ukrainian legislation guarantees protection against domestic and gender-based violence. However, lesbian, bisexual and trans* women often face legal gaps, discrimination and institutional barriers when seeking support. These challenges are particularly significant in cases of violence within same-sex partnerships, which still lack formal legal recognition in Ukraine.

What legal and institutional barriers prevent LBT* women from accessing protection? Why might survivors struggle to obtain assistance from the police or social services? And what changes are needed to ensure equal access to justice and support?

These questions are addressed in “Legal Analysis and Recommendations on Ensuring Access to Protection from Domestic and Gender-Based Violence for LBT Women”, authored by Hanna Lytvynova.

What are the key findings?

The publication examines Ukrainian legislation, international standards, including the Istanbul Convention, and practical barriers faced by LBT* women seeking protection from violence.

The analysis identifies several major challenges:

• Lack of legal recognition of same-sex partnerships. Survivors may face difficulties establishing the existence of family or close relationships, potentially preventing incidents from being recognised as domestic violence and limiting access to protection measures.
• Insufficient recognition of bias motives. Existing criminal law provisions do not adequately address violence motivated by prejudice related to sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Distrust of law enforcement and fear of involuntary outing. Concerns about disclosure of personal information, stigmatisation and discriminatory treatment discourage survivors from reporting violence or seeking institutional support.
• Barriers to accessing social services. Shelters, crisis centres and other support services are not always equipped to respond to the needs of LBT* women. Trans* women, in particular, may be denied access to women’s shelters.

What changes does the analysis recommend?

The publication offers recommendations for government institutions, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, social services and legal aid providers.

Key proposals include explicitly ensuring that domestic violence legislation applies regardless of the sex of the partners involved, strengthening legal provisions addressing bias-motivated violence, introducing clear police response protocols and ensuring strict confidentiality of survivors’ personal information.

The analysis also calls for inclusive and accessible shelters, specialised training for professionals working with survivors, and improved monitoring of discriminatory practices.

The findings provide a basis for improving Ukraine’s policies on domestic and gender-based violence, advocating for legislative reform, and developing practical standards to ensure equal access to protection and support for LBT* women.

The legal analysis was authored by Hanna Lytvynova. The publication is presented by Gender Stream with financial support from ELC (EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community) and the European Union.

Read the full legal analysis and recommendations in the attached document.