The experience of women whose partners are serving in the military is one of constant absence, anxiety that cannot be switched off, and care at a distance. It means months and years of sole responsibility for the family, the home and decision-making — without pauses, clear boundaries, or timeframes. This is how hundreds of thousands of wives, fiancées and partners live, and this dimension of the war still remains almost invisible to society.
How does life change, and how is everyday reality shaped by prolonged waiting? What happens to intimacy, relationships and ideas about family? What does motherhood feel like during wartime, when women are forced to raise children alone? How does society perceive the partners of military service members, and why is this complex experience so often reduced to simplifications and stereotypes?
The discussion will be accompanied by excerpts from Anastasiia Bahalika’s documentary audio project.
Speakers:
Ivona Kostyna, co-founder of Veteran Hub, wife of a military serviceman;
Kateryna Tsvihun, media professional, wife of a military serviceman and participant in the documentary project;
Anastasiia Shybiko, media professional, wife of a military serviceman and participant in the documentary project.
Moderators:
Anastasiia Bahalika, Director of the Human Rights Department of NGO Docudays, media professional, wife of a military serviceman.
