A Safe Space for a New Beginning: How Survivors of Human Trafficking Are Supported in Cherkasy

Returning after surviving exploitation often becomes no less difficult a trial than the trafficking situation itself. People may be left without housing, documents, work, social ties, and a sense of safety. That is why one of the key elements of assistance to survivors is not only identifying them and removing them from exploitation, but also creating conditions for recovery and a return to independent living.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in 2025 alone, 187 survivors of human trafficking received comprehensive assistance in Ukraine, and since 2000 such support has been provided to more than 20 thousand people. Among the most important needs after surviving exploitation remains access to safe temporary housing and professional support, which help stabilize the situation and begin the recovery process.

Such support is provided in Cherkasy by the organization — a member of the Counter–Trafficking NGO Coalition, the charitable organization “100% LIFE CHERKASY.” The organization operates two support centres: a Reintegration Centre for homeless people and people released from places of detention, as well as the women’s shelter “Merezhka.”

Both centres were created for people who found themselves in difficult life circumstances, including after surviving exploitation or violence. Here they can receive a safe place to stay, food, hygiene supplies, and necessary clothing. Accommodation is free of charge, and the length of stay is determined individually according to the person’s needs and life situation.

At the same time, support is not limited to meeting basic needs. An important part of the centres’ work is comprehensive case management aimed at helping a person return to independent living. Survivors can receive psychological support, social support, assistance with restoring documents, legal consultations, and help with employment.

This approach makes it possible to work not only with the consequences of the exploitation a person has survived, but also to help them gradually restore stability, social ties, and confidence in the future.

The Reintegration Centre is focused on people who have lost housing or are returning from places of detention and need support to return to life in the community. The women’s shelter “Merezhka” functions as a safe space for women, taking into account their needs after surviving violence or exploitation.

As Marina Stadnyk, Executive Director of the charitable organization “100% LIFE CHERKASY,” notes, the full-scale war has significantly increased the need for such services:

“Some people lost their homes because of the war; others cannot return home for security reasons. In such cases, it is especially important to have a place where a person can stop, recover psychologically, and only then gradually return to normal life and interaction with society. Our task is to give people a safe space and time to recover. But it is no less important to help them take the next steps: restore documents, find work, and regain control over their lives.”

The experience of such centres shows that recovery after human trafficking requires time, support, and a comprehensive approach. Safe housing often becomes the first step on this path, while psychological, social, and legal assistance allows people to gradually regain control over their own lives and build their future again.