Women should no longer remain silent about sexual harassment - Deputy Prosecutor General
Kyiv • UNN
Deputy Prosecutor General Mariia Vdovychenko stated that the prosecutor's office will make efforts to prevent sexual violence. She emphasized that the case of the former artistic director of the Young Theater, Andriy Bilous, is the first in Ukraine's history regarding harassment that has reached a real investigation.
Deputy Prosecutor General Mariia Vdovychenko, against the backdrop of the case of the former artistic director of the Kyiv Academic Young Theater and lecturer at Karpenko-Karyi National University of Theater, Cinema and Television, Andrii Bilous, who is suspected of sexual violence, stated that women should no longer remain silent about harassment. The Prosecutor's Office will make efforts to ensure that the power or authority of any leaders does not become a basis for committing sexual violence, UNN reports.
Vdovychenko noted that the prosecutor's office insisted on detention for Andrii Bilous. The court granted this request and arrested him without the right to bail.
This is the first harassment case in the history of Ukraine that has actually reached a real investigation and notification of suspicion to a person
She noted that Bilous used his authoritative position to sexually harass female students.
How our suspect acted: he acted according to a certain algorithm. He sought out girls among the students. Then, using his, so to speak, authoritative position, he forced them to send intimate photos, send video files, and then, after a certain period of time, he invited them to his office under any pretext, where, remaining alone with them, he committed sexual violence with force and coercion. Girls who reacted negatively to his sexual harassment found themselves in an atmosphere of intimidation. He publicly humiliated them among other students, bullied them, forbade them to participate in performances. He threatened: "You will never become an actress again," he said: "You will be expelled from the university"
The Deputy Prosecutor General called on women not to remain silent about sexual harassment.
Women should no longer remain silent. We will provide and make every effort to ensure that the power or authority of any leaders does not become a basis for committing sexual violence. I also want to thank all those who started speaking, who found the strength to speak. Thank you very much. This is about courage that strengthens our Ukraine
Context
Former director of the "Young Theater" Andrii Bilous was notified of suspicion of sexual violence against female students.
The pre-trial investigation established that since 2017, the suspect, using his significant authority in the theater community, his official position as a lecturer and theater director, systematically coerced female students into sexual relations with him without their voluntary consent and committed sexual violence against them.
The prosecutor's office reports that in the period from March 2018 to April 2023, in the theater's official premises, he repeatedly raped and committed violent acts of a sexual nature against five girls, two of whom were minors at the time of the crimes.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko reacted to the case of the former director of the "Young Theater" Andrii Bilous, who was notified of suspicion of sexual violence against female students, and indicated that every crime will have consequences.
"We understand how difficult it is for victims to decide to speak. In most such cases, people remain silent due to fear, shame, or distrust. But this particular case became a turning point: the courage of one girl made it possible to identify other episodes of harassment that became part of the pre-trial investigation. It's time to say frankly - harassment exists in Ukraine and, as a rule, it always goes hand in hand with silence. Don't be silent!" - emphasized the Prosecutor General.
What Bilous is accused of
The first to publicly report harassment was the director's former student, Sofia Sapozhnik. The girl claims that the man asked her to send intimate photos and insisted on discussing sexual fantasies. According to her, the former head sent intimate photos of other girls to students. After that, a number of similar accusations against Bilous appeared.
In January 2025, Karpenko-Karyi University filed a statement with the police asking them to check the disseminated information and give it a legal assessment. In the same month, Bilous was suspended from work at the university.
In February, investigators of the Shevchenkivskyi police department opened criminal proceedings under Article 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - sexual violence.
On the same day, the Kyiv City State Administration announced its intention to remove him from his official duties at the Young Theater.
At the same time, a protest action took place near the Young Theater against the decision of the Kyiv City State Administration to keep Bilous as director. Participants expressed support for 46 theater employees who demanded his removal.
Bilous himself denies all accusations.