How Ukraine Is Using Tech to Tackle Sexual Violence in War

Ukraine is fighting a war on more than one front. As Russian forces continue their aggression, one particularly harrowing front is the widespread use of sexual and gender-based crimes (SGBC) against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. These atrocities, which have escalated drastically since the full-scale invasion in 2022, have left victims as young as four and as old as 80, according to a United Nations report.

Ukraine’s response has taken a dual path: criminal justice and reparations. And technology, while not perfect, is playing a pivotal role.

MORE: Everyone Is Leaving Twitter For Bluesky: Here’s Why

DISCOVER: Bumble is fighting for ‘Cyberflashing’ to be criminalised

Image @Gharbi51 via Pinterest

In 2022, Ukraine’s Office of the Prosecutor General set up a dedicated unit for conflict-related sexual violence. As of late 2023, 326 CRSV cases had been recorded — 117 of them involving male victims. Ukraine also launched a pilot reparations scheme in 2024, offering urgent support like psychological care and vocational training. So far, 379 survivors have received interim reparations.

But justice in the digital age comes with its own hurdles.

Digital security vs survivor safety

Where the data lives matters. Some servers remain in Ukraine, relying on the country’s robust cyber defence. Others are housed abroad for additional security. Either way, access is tightly restricted and protected by multi-step authentication. But survivors’ privacy is only as secure as the weakest link in this chain.

MORE: ‘Jools Law’ Could Give Parents Access To Their Children’s Social Media Accounts

DISCOVER: I Tried the World’s First AI-yurvedic Skin Scan: Here’s What Happened

When tech helps, and when it doesn’t

While online applications for reparations can be more accessible, many survivors — particularly those in rural or older demographics — prefer face-to-face support. Peer-to-peer conversations and trusted legal or psychological help often result in more complete, less traumatic accounts. Tech helps streamline the process, but survivors still want real humans at the other end of the system.

Using open-source intelligence (carefully)

Public data — from social media to drone footage — is proving surprisingly useful. Though SGBC usually happens behind closed doors, open-source material can flag broader patterns: forced separation of men and women, mutilated bodies, or the presence of torture equipment. This helps reduce how often survivors need to repeat painful stories — but it’s not a replacement for their testimony.

MORE: ‘AI’ searches rocket to the highest point in history

DISCOVER: Prepare for AI Babies: AI is revolutionising the success rate of IVF

New threats: AI-fuelled disinformation

AI-generated images and deepfakes are starting to pollute the information landscape. Russian forces have reportedly used manipulated media to intimidate survivors or derail investigations. Investigators now need training to spot fakes — and support survivors targeted by psychological warfare online.

The path forward

From transcription tools to better data storage, Ukraine still needs innovation — but also caution. Survivors often reject recorded interviews and prefer hand-written notes, which puts pressure on interviewers to record stories accurately in real time. Better transcription tech could bridge that gap without compromising dignity or connection.

If Ukraine wants justice to outlive this war, it needs to future-proof its digital systems and train every human who uses them.