Ukrainian refugee and son testify in Winnipeg assault case

Two Ukrainian refugees who came to Winnipeg seeking a safer life were inside a Manitoba courtroom Monday, a year after they were randomly attacked.

The victims say the differences between the Canadian legal system and the one back home leave them uncertain about the outcome of the trial.

Viktoria Sokolova is a refugee from Ukraine who settled in Winnipeg. Last August, she and her son were on their way home when they heard someone approaching them at the intersection of Kent Road and Nairn Avenue.

Moments later, Sokolova and her son were struck with a baseball bat.

One year after the incident, Sokolova says she still feels anxious when she is outside.

“After this incident I am scared to go to the store,” said Sokolova. “I am scared to walk around the street.”

Sokolova says her 14-year-old son is also struggling to recover. He continues to suffer from headaches and nosebleeds, attends therapy sessions, and tries to hide the scar left by the attack.

“Now my son is very scared to communicate with people,” said Sokolova. “He is scared of walking in the street. I don’t know what to do.”

Sokolova is among several Ukrainian refugees who have been attacked in Winnipeg. According to Ostap Skrypnyk, an advisor at Ukrainian Canadian Congress, the incidents were random and did not target Ukrainians specifically.

“It’s just that they happen to be in neighbourhoods, where something like this is, unfortunately, more common,” said Skrypnyk.

“Anyone who’s a victim of a violent crime, I’m sure, looks at the world and is even hesitant to leave their home.

“Networks that you have from home, from your family and friends that you have in places they are really comfortable with aren’t there, and how much more difficult it is to navigate this entire process,” said Skrypnyk.

The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 9. Before then, Sokolova must provide the court with information about the attack’s impact on her and her son.