The aim of our research was to explore the lived experiences of refugeehood among women from Ukraine who held temporary protection status in the Republic of Slovenia. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews, we gathered descriptions of the experiences of seven Ukrainian citizens. We analysed the data with interpretative phenomenological analysis and found five main themes with a total of nineteen subthemes, which captured the essential aspects of the experience of refugeehood among the participants. The main themes addressed the shock at the beginning of the war and the fear for life in the war zone, the psychophysical consequences of exposure to grave stress, significant losses that the participants suffered because of the war and departure abroad, difficulties with integration, and the factors that strengthened the participants' resilience, which enabled them to maintain a sense of life purpose and an active attitude in dealing with their life situation. The findings regarding experiences of war-related violence, its consequences on mental and physical health, integration barriers, and effective coping strategies are in accordance both with research results among Ukrainian refugees in other countries and with general insights into the consequences of stressful experiences on mental health and the concepts of integration and resilience. The results offer insight into various manifestations of the consequences of war-related violence and forced displacement, both in terms of the external course of individuals' lives and their internal perceptions of the environment, events, relationships, and their identity. This enables better understanding and empathy toward their situation and confirms that refugeehood is a multifaceted experience that deeply interferes with a person’s life.
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