“While being in Europe for my position on ISTAC, which is part of the Office of Democratic International Human Rights, I was asked to accompany a mission to Lviv, Ukraine to train first responders on the front lines of the Ukrainian-Russian war, on trauma and how to assess and work with human trafficking victims and migrating refugees. Lviv is on the Western border of Ukraine and 2.5 hours from the Polish border. It is a peaceful city and life is continuing on as usually, even with the Eastern front entrenched in war. Many Ukrainians travel to Lviv to get away from occupied cities and for a break from the war. We worked with Ukrainians there and got to see in their eyes the fight they have, we also recognized that there are high levels of Human Trafficking as a result of the war and displacement of the people, but the Ukraine has always had a history of higher levels of human trafficking, womb trafficking (surrogacy), orphanage trafficking and organ trafficking, due to the vulnerabilities that exist, poverty and lack of policies and resources within their government. Ukrainians for years have been used by people in wealthier nations as product, profit or pleasure and this has only exacerbated with war. So, while the trainings focused on front line response and resources presently, we also know we must have the hard conversations that have led to historical exploitation of the people as well.Picture above left – My colleague and I in the square 4 hours before the bombings.
Picture to right: One of the buildings that was bombed, photo taken on July 5th at 6:45 pm.
It was struck around 2:30 am on July 6th.
In the early morning of July 6th, around 2:30 am we were awakened by air raid horns and told to get to shelter. We left everything and ran to the bomb shelter in the hotel. We heard 5 bombs explode and felt one hit the ground, we didn’t know at the time it was the building next to us and many people were killed. Lviv is a peaceful city and had not had an attack before. That night was different and what would know be known as the most horrific attack on civilians happened as we were there. The peaceful city was attacked by Russia and we are forever changed.We were able to make it to the border after a long night and walk across, with only what we could carry, and many of the Ukrainians who were also fleeing. It struck me as I was walking across in my pajamas, that while I was teaching first responders how to work with refugees, I was actually one in that moment. I know I’m in shock and am processing it all. As it was one of the most horrific things, I’ve ever experienced in my life, even as a survivor of child sexual abuse and trafficking. I don’t know anything more terrifying than making a video to my family telling them I loved them, just in case.
The carefree sense that we felt and relatively safe community we had been assessing and training in, was shattered and will never be the same. After debriefings from organizations and government officials, it’s truly a miracle to be alive. My heart is grateful, but at the same time, sad for what was lost and the lives who didn’t make it. We now know that the org we were with didn’t have the best Intel and we shouldn’t have been sent in. I can’t change that and I probably wouldn’t. That experience was incredible. We know that many people were killed in what Ukrainian officials described as the “heaviest attack” on the city’s civilian areas since Russia’s full-scale invasion last year. The Interior Ministry said on July 6 that 42 people, including a child, were wounded in the nighttime attack, which destroyed the roof and the top two floors of a residential building. I know it will make sense to some when I say that we knew the 3rd missile hit something and lives were gone. It was like the breath was taken out of me at the time and my colleagues felt it too. 10 missiles were shot, 7 intercepted and 3 hit. By the grace of God, one of the missiles set for us was intercepted. We were at ground zero for the attack.We fled in our pajamas and carried all we could, we found a car and as we crossed the border with many refugees, I knew what they were feeling. Maybe that was by design and I will never forget the sounds, smells and sights of the destruction and resiliency of the people. I traveled home after three days and was in the same clothes I fled with. When we emerged from the underground bunkers, it was almost surreal to see some of the areas that had been hit and recognize how we were alive but for the grace of God.
In the 3 weeks since the attack, I’m also learning that it’s ok to feel present at times and then feel heartbroken at others, all at the same time. Why am I still here and others aren’t? I truly won’t ever take that for granted. So much help is still needed there and so many of our colleagues are on the ground still doing the work. Please continue to pray for the people in Ukraine, and even Russia, who cannot control the war between their governments. They are worth fighting for and we must work together as human beings, all with the same worth and love. My life is forever changed from this experience and while I know it will take time to heal from it, I am also grateful for the experience of getting to work with my Ukranian colleagues. They are the true heroes.”
