NEW ROKSOLANAS. WHERE ARE YOU GOING? WHO NEEDS YOU?

   
    This words from Willy Tokarev’s song come to mind every time when following fates of Ukrainian women who leave Ukraine seeking for the better life abroad. That is why I would like to warn those who decide to come abroad about dangers and risks they may face.
    
    Many Ukrainian men and women who came abroad for marriage have still been overboard of life. Many of them were turned down by their promised men or women right away after their arrival and have been dragging out a miserable existence, some of them are so “lucky” to live a couple of years with American cowboy and to leave home with a luggage of threadbare dresses of his previous wife. Some of them are sinking at the bottom of life and live anti-social life or work as prostitutes, cleaning or dish-washing ladies at inexpensive snack-bars and eating houses. However, few most smart former Ukrainians succeed in saddling unbacked American mustangs, learning language, divorcing with “brotherly” sharing of the common property and living a good life in wonderland.
    
    Quality selection of brides
    
    In the Czech Republic any nonresident may marry a Czech passport holder and, on the basis of the marriage, obtain the Czech residence. This provision of the Czech Law On Marriage and Family has produced a continuous flow of numerous men and women from the post-Soviet countries seeking for the so-called gray (obtained as a result of pro forma marriage) Czech passport, a real pass to rich Europe. The Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary are the first post-socialist countries which inherited from the USSR, in addition to economic problems, a spread web of trans-boundary criminality not scrupling to perform any activities, including trade in second-hand cars and legalization of emigrants. Prague became a sort of bride market where the local mobsters in cooperation with Solntsev’s, Kyiv’s and Volhyanian mobs are selecting Ukrainian women and sending them, according to classification, to Turkey’s and Amsterdam’s brothels or arranging, for a huge fee, their marriage with local simpletons. However, today, even having paid three-four thousand dollars they do not all can realize their gray Czech passport, but may occur at a house of prostitution because a) a promised man disappeared with money (naturally, in agreement with and for payment from the matchmaker); b) did not understand Russian language and disappeared or c) called up police. Another thing is a reliable marriage with real foreigner. However, in any case, it still be pro forma marriage.
    
    Men’s ordeals
    It is a well-known fact that the United States is the most attractive country for Ukrainian birds of passage. For its conquering they do not spare themselves, their nerves and money. Here I would like to tell about a primitive marriage fraud with the strong part of mankind involved. Usually, the U.S. Migration service treats marriage between foreign woman and American man more kindly than those between foreign man and American woman. Probably, it is caused by the fact that the former is unlikely to be pro forma or by a lack of pretty women in America. However, Ukrainian men are seeking for marriage with American women in order to obtain Green Card, a fixed idea of numerous our compatriots, especially of those whose period of staying in the United States expired or who passed deportation procedure at the American migration court, i.e. those who have no alternative. On the slippery path towards pro forma marriage they face local, or rather former Russian, swindlers. An algorithm for engaging Russian simpletons in the marriage fraud is quite primitive: new “friends” of newcomer offer him, at a “moderate” price of 10-12 thousand dollars, a woman for pro forma marriage. They assure of reliability and honesty of a promised woman, the U.S. passport holder. However, as a rule, in fact the “bride” is an indigent woman from a trailer. Inasmuch as marriage legalization in the USA is multistage and long-term procedure, at each stage, threatening a divorce the American wife blackmails her husband into paying her big money. By the way, sometimes unlucky husbands are forced to do their conjugal duty until the legalization is over.
    
    Services from Natashka
    
    Let us be carried away to the Oriental world. A lot of new Roksolanas have got lost in vast Egyptian deserts and Turkish brothels. The local inhabitants call them Natashkas. Last year, when I stayed at the Istanbul’s hotel I saw through my own eyes an announcement in vulgar Russian: “To men’s attention! Welcome to sauna at the 6th floor. All accompanying services!” “What does “accompanying services” mean?” I asked the door boy. “Oh, it is Natashkas, from 20 to 50 dollars per hour,” he answered. In the course of interview, which was the cheapest service, Nataska, i.e. Oksana, told me that she came to Turkey from Chernihiv for finding job and marriage. In fact, she met her former compatriots, the swindlers, who stole her passport and money and forced her to work here. She told, her friend is working at olive farm as a bondwoman for repaying a debt which was fraudulently made by her “friends”.
    The Ukrainian women married to Turkish, Egyptian, Syrian or Nigerian men are even in the worse situation. According to data of the international organization on protection of women’s rights Winrock International, annually its employees receive 2500-3500 letters with request of legal aid, however, if a woman has been married and naturalized, unfortunately, they cannot help them.
    Actual advice
    For deserted women who are left empty-handed, in the United States of America
    1. In USA, in every city or town there is Legal Aid Society which provides women with legal assistance and free divorce. It is not worth to find herself the husband because of a restraining order according to which he will be imprisoned as he approaches or even talks to her.
    2. Women may continue their staying at apartments or house where they lived before, but should not replace locks. If a woman fails to pay a rent in due time and the lessor initiates eviction process, in any case, she can stall for time until the court proceedings is over, i.e. during 3-6 months. Moreover, in majority of American states, a mother with child cannot be evicted at all.
    3. A woman may bring children to Foster Home (for temporary staying), provided the Health Department determines that she cannot ensure the due care, until she finds job.
    
    I wish you, Ukrainian women, never fall in such situations and follow this advice.
    However, where are you going…?
    
    Oleg Spornykov
    Ukraine
    Date of publication: December 17-23, 2002
    

Публікація від 21 жовтня, 2003 р.