Women's Asylum In Europe

My research topic will discuss women refugees seeking asylum in Europe and the difficulties they face both along the way to and in Europe. When women refugees leave their homelands, they believe they have left the hostility and danger behind, yet they still face several hardships, such as gender-based violence, sexual harassment, rape, exploitation, and insufficient or no health care, on their way to refuge. Women refugees make up 80% of the refugee population, yet most do not successfully make it onto European soil (Salant, 2003). This occurs due to the harassment they face on the way to Europe by smugglers, aid officials or even refugees. There have been several accounts in which women faced exploitation or had to sell themselves, due to the high smuggler fees or tight border control, to continue their journey. In addition to the heinous conditions the women refugees face on their journey to Europe, they also face similar conditions when they reach Europe due to lack of gender-segregation. In many cases, women have to use the same hygienic facilities as men or rest in the same tents as men, which puts them at risk and adds to their fear.

Even though the needs of women asylum seekers, and the differences between them and their male counterparts, have been recognized, it is still evident that Europe is failing to provide the fundamental necessities and health care services that depend solely on the women’s needs. In my paper, I will be responding to this research question: what are the types of violence women refugees face while seeking asylum and their effects? Hence, the key terms in my paper are “refugees” and “sexual and gender-based violence”. Refugees are “those who flee wretched conditions associated with poverty, marginalization and discrimination” (Freedman, 2007). Additionally, sexual and gender-based violence is defined by Basile, Saltzman, and the UNHCR as “a major public health issue worldwide, a violation of human rights and in some cases a crime against humanity. It comprises sexual violence, emotional-psychological violence, physical violence, harmful cultural practices and socio-economic violence” (as cited in Keygnaert, Vettenburg, & Temmerman, 2012).