Zero reports is not cause for celebration, it's cause for alarm

The author expresses deep concern over an annual report from a large agency operating in a crisis zone that claims zero violations of sexual exploitation and abuse. This lack of reported incidents, especially when working with millions of people, is seen not as a success but as a significant red flag.

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When I open the annual report of a large agency that says it works with millions of people in a brutal crisis, and I see the number "zero violations," I don't celebrate. I worry.

Years of experience have led the author to believe that survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse often remain silent due to a lack of trust in existing systems. In Ukraine, a country profoundly affected by war, vulnerability is heightened, and humanitarian organizations face immense pressure. This environment makes the existence of abuse less of a question than the accessibility of reporting mechanisms for survivors.

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In a country shaped by years of war, where vulnerability multiplies and humanitarian organizations operate under constant pressure, I have come to believe that the real question is not whether abuse exists. It is whether survivors have a genuine path to speak up.

The author is committed to establishing a system in Ukraine that fundamentally shifts focus. This new approach would not prioritize protecting the reputations of institutions but would instead stand unequivocally with survivors. The underlying principle is that a system cannot protect individuals if it does not first acknowledge their presence and their experiences.

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This is the system I am trying to build in Ukraine: one that does not protect institutional reputations, but stands, without compromise, on the side of survivors.

This initiative seeks to create an environment where survivors feel safe and empowered to come forward. It challenges the status quo where silence is often the default outcome, aiming instead for transparency and accountability. The goal is to build trust in a system that has historically failed to adequately support those who have experienced exploitation and abuse.

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If the system doesn't see a person, it can't protect them.