Im Krisenmodus

Anmerkungen

Disclaimer: This episode was made with AI.

Mariya was abducted, beaten and raped. Iryna has been fighting for years to ensure that such crimes are punished. In this episode of “In Crisis Mode”, FUNKE reporter Jan Jessen talks about sexualized violence in the Ukraine war — about rape as a weapon of war, torture by Russian soldiers, and the systematic use of violence against women and men.

🎙️ Guests in this episode

Iryna Dovhan – founder of SEMA Ukraine (a self-help organization for survivors of sexualized violence in war), survivor, activist, international witness to sexualized violence as a weapon of war

Mariya (name changed) – survivor of systematic rapes by Russian soldiers, speaking publicly for the first time

🧭 Chapter overview

1 | The Body as a Battlefield

Mariya tells of abduction, mistreatment, rape — and the moment she knew: I will not survive, only endure.

2 | What Happened in Kherson

Russian troops, constant shelling, fear: How Mariya tells her story between café music and grenade explosions — and why so many remain silent.

3 | Escape, Database, Survival

A Russian officer saves her — and a database decides her fate. Mariya flees through the front lines with nothing but her will to survive.

4 | Those Who Come Together

Iryna Dovhan founds SEMA — a self-help organization of women who survived violence. What they lacked from the state, they now give themselves.

5 | War Crimes: Sexualized Violence by Russian Troops

Sex as a weapon: How Russia systematically uses rape — against women and men. And why the FSB (Russian domestic intelligence agency, successor to the KGB) was particularly brutal.

6 | Prosecution of Sexualized War Violence — What Is Possible

SEMA counts over 1,000 affected people. Many remain silent to this day. Why international help is needed — and a justice system that does not forget.

🎧 Recommended listening

• After the Attack: Cleaning Up in the Shadow of War
• Sent to Hell - Why Young Ukrainians Volunteer
• Drone Frontline - A New Era of Warfare in Ukraine

🆘 Where Can I Get Help?

For those affected in Germany:

Helpline Violence Against Women (24/7, anonymous, 18 languages):

📞 08000 116 016 | Helpline

• Medica Mondiale (support for women in war and crisis areas)
• Terre des Femmes – Human Rights for Women e.V.
• Frauenrechte.de
• International Organizations (Ukraine/Europe):
• SEMA Ukraine – Self-help for Survivors of Sexualized Violence - SEMAUKRAINE
• Global Survivors Fund – Global Survivors Fund
• Mukwege Foundation – Mukwege Foundation – advocates worldwide for victims of rape as a weapon of war - Mukwege Foundation

📬 Contact & Feedback

Questions, criticism, or suggestions? Get in touch:

✉️ krisenmodus@funkemedien.de

🟢 Subscribe Now

"In Crisis Mode" – available wherever you get your podcasts:

Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Deezer | YouTube

In Crisis Mode is a podcast by the FUNKE Media Group.