How we help Ukrainian refugees

Háttér Society stands in solidarity with Ukraine and people fleeing the war. 

Our core activity is to run support services: an information and counselling hotline, a personal counselling, a legal aid service, and an HIV peer support service. We strive to make our services accessible for refugees as well. While our volunteers are most equipped about LGBTQI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex) issues, we aim to help everyone we can, even if it means simply putting you in touch with the organisation, institution or person that can help you the best. 

You can find more information on the situation at the Ukrainian-Hungarian border and practical information for those fleeing Ukraine due to the Russian invasion on the website of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee. 

If you want to support refugees, please see this list of organisations that welcome donations. If you wish to assist LGBTQI people fleeing Ukraine, you can donate to these organisations.

Information and Counselling Hotline 

Our anonymous hotline answers calls every day (including weekends and holidays) from 18 to 23 PM, especially in topics related to LGBTQI issues. Some of our operators speak English, please see the calendar attached when English speaking operators are available.

Call us if

• you face problems related to your sexual orientation or gender identity (self-acceptance, crisis of identity, lack of acceptance from your environment);
• you face problems in your partnership, including abuse or violence;
• you have questions about HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases;
• you have LGBTQI family members and find it difficult to accept them;
• you experience violence, discrimination or harassment in your family, at work, in school or any other area of life;
• you have legal questions related to sexual orientation or gender identity;
• you would like to get information about LGBTQI cultural events, meeting places, other organisations, informal groups and communities;
• if you have any other problem you want to discuss, or just want to talk to someone anonymously.

Legal aid 

Our legal aid service offers free legal counselling and representation to victims of discrimination, harassment and violence on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity. We provide advice on any legal matter where the sexual orientation or gender identity of the person might be significant. If you experience discrimination by service providers or authorities for being part of the LGBTQI community, or you suffer a violent homophobic or transphobic attack, please contact our legal aid service via email at legalaid@hatter.hu.

Personal Counselling 

Our Personal Counselling Service offers help for those struggling with the acceptance of their sexual orientation or gender identity or their coming out, or those facing difficulties in forming relationships, managing conflicts or stress, or any other issues matching the LGBTQI profile of the Service. Sessions are held once a week for 10-12 weeks. The service is available in person or via Skype free of charge.

Sign up here on our website.

HIV/AIDS Program

If you have any questions related to HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infection (STI), have difficulty accessing ART medications or other forms of treatment, suspect that you might have contacted HIV or any other STI, you can contact our HIV/AIDS Peer Support Service via email at hivpeersupport@hatter.hu.