TY - JOUR
T1 - Hidden violence is silent rape
T2 - Sexual and gender-based violence in refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Belgium and the Netherlands
AU - Keygnaert, Ines
AU - Vettenburg, Nicole
AU - Temmerman, Marleen
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to the EC supported Daphne programme for funding this project [JAI-DAP-05-1-046] and to the Project Partners (MOVISIE, NVR, ZIJN, Pharos & Tandem), community researchers and community advisory board members for their collegiate participation. We would like to thank Jeroen Keygnaert and Annelies Aerssens for their assistance in the data-analysis.
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - Although women, young people and refugees are vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) worldwide, little evidence exists concerning SGBV against refugees in Europe. Using community-based participatory research, 223 in-depth interviews were conducted with refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Belgium and the Netherlands. Responses were analysed using framework analysis. The majority of the respondents were either personally victimised or knew of a close peer being victimised since their arrival in the European Union. A total of 332 experiences of SGBV were reported, mostly afflicted on them by (ex-)partners or asylum professionals. More than half of the reported violent experiences comprised sexual violence, including rape and sexual exploitation. Results suggest that refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Belgium and the Netherlands are extremely vulnerable to violence and, specifically, to sexual violence. Future SGBV preventive measures should consist of rights-based, desirable and participatory interventions, focusing on several socio-ecological levels concurrently.
AB - Although women, young people and refugees are vulnerable to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) worldwide, little evidence exists concerning SGBV against refugees in Europe. Using community-based participatory research, 223 in-depth interviews were conducted with refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Belgium and the Netherlands. Responses were analysed using framework analysis. The majority of the respondents were either personally victimised or knew of a close peer being victimised since their arrival in the European Union. A total of 332 experiences of SGBV were reported, mostly afflicted on them by (ex-)partners or asylum professionals. More than half of the reported violent experiences comprised sexual violence, including rape and sexual exploitation. Results suggest that refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Belgium and the Netherlands are extremely vulnerable to violence and, specifically, to sexual violence. Future SGBV preventive measures should consist of rights-based, desirable and participatory interventions, focusing on several socio-ecological levels concurrently.
KW - Europe
KW - prevention
KW - refugees
KW - risk factors
KW - sexual violence
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84860339712&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13691058.2012.671961
DO - 10.1080/13691058.2012.671961
M3 - Article
C2 - 22468763
AN - SCOPUS:84860339712
SN - 1369-1058
VL - 14
SP - 505
EP - 520
JO - Culture, Health and Sexuality
JF - Culture, Health and Sexuality
IS - 5
ER -
