Researchers interviewed 283 migrant women. Among them, 17 claim to have been raped and nearly a third of them say they have been victims of sexual violence.
Attacks that continue for migrants, even in “safe countries”. This is what a survey published on Sunday September 17 in the scientific journal highlights The Lancet Regional Healthrelating to sexual violence suffered by asylum seekers “shortly after their arrival” in the south of France. Already weakened during their migratory journey, more than a quarter of the women interviewed confided having suffered sexual violence, less than two years after their arrival on French soil.
In detail, 30.8% of the 273 asylum seekers interviewed (i.e. 84 women) say they were victims of such violence between the months of October 2021 and March 2022. Among them, 17 reported having been raped during the past year (i.e. 6.4%). An additional ordeal for these women, whose migration has very often been marked by abuse. “In our sample, 75.7% of women had suffered sexual violence before their arrival in France.notes the study. Among these 202 victims, “139 had been raped”.
Destitute victims
The investigation establishes a link between reception arrangements and sexual violence. So, “THE“The months following arrival in a European host country among women asylum seekers appear to be a period of high incidence of sexual violence”, detail its authors. Before concluding that “L“Reception conditions without accommodation support seem to increase exposure to sexual assault”.
An isolated asylum seeker, poorly or not housed, already a victim of sexual violence in the past, therefore finds herself more exposed to new violence of this type. More than 40% of assaults and rapes reported “took place in the home (…) and the perpetrator was mostly unknown”details the investigation.
It finally appears that these victims are helpless in the face of the French authorities. Less than 10% of them contacted the police at the time of the violence, the survey specifies. “More than half of women victims of violence did not seek help (from anyone) at all.”its authors also noted.