Posted on Nov 11, 2023
A program helps Ukraine's veterans find sexual healing after the trauma of war
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https://www.npr.org/2023/11/10/ [login to see] /ukraine-war-veterans-injuries-sexuality
When Russia first launched its war against Ukraine in 2014, Rodion Trystan was 23 years old, a soldier in a front-line battalion in the eastern Donbas region. A Russian sniper bullet nearly took his life.
"It was high-caliber explosive round, my right eye was totally destroyed," Trystan said, speaking in accented English. "I was having a hole in my head."
Trystan said it was a miracle he survived. His skull is scarred now. He wears an eye patch. His left eye was also severely damaged, leaving him with partial vision.
After leaving the hospital, Trystan struggled to make peace with his new appearance, his changed face and the rejection he experienced with many women.
When Russia first launched its war against Ukraine in 2014, Rodion Trystan was 23 years old, a soldier in a front-line battalion in the eastern Donbas region. A Russian sniper bullet nearly took his life.
"It was high-caliber explosive round, my right eye was totally destroyed," Trystan said, speaking in accented English. "I was having a hole in my head."
Trystan said it was a miracle he survived. His skull is scarred now. He wears an eye patch. His left eye was also severely damaged, leaving him with partial vision.
After leaving the hospital, Trystan struggled to make peace with his new appearance, his changed face and the rejection he experienced with many women.
A program helps Ukraine's veterans find sexual healing after the trauma of war
Posted from npr.org
Trauma
Health
Sex
Posted 6 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."One of the most complicated parts of their recovery can involve sexuality and intimacy. Trystan says other soldiers have asked him, "How you struggle [with this], how you stand it?"
Veterans Hub, a support group headquartered in Kyiv, has launched a project called ReSex aimed at helping veterans — and healthcare providers — grapple with those questions.
"It's not easy for them sometimes to ask, or for medical workers to answer this," says Kateryna Skorokhod, head of ReSex.
The group's message to soldiers who've experienced physical and mental trauma is one of hope, she says.
"It's not the end of your life, you can be happy, you can have relationships, you can have sex, it could be great, playful," she says. "It's not only about sadness and dark and toughness, it can be bright."...
..."One of the most complicated parts of their recovery can involve sexuality and intimacy. Trystan says other soldiers have asked him, "How you struggle [with this], how you stand it?"
Veterans Hub, a support group headquartered in Kyiv, has launched a project called ReSex aimed at helping veterans — and healthcare providers — grapple with those questions.
"It's not easy for them sometimes to ask, or for medical workers to answer this," says Kateryna Skorokhod, head of ReSex.
The group's message to soldiers who've experienced physical and mental trauma is one of hope, she says.
"It's not the end of your life, you can be happy, you can have relationships, you can have sex, it could be great, playful," she says. "It's not only about sadness and dark and toughness, it can be bright."...
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