Women Refugees

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After reading the novel Exit West I was drawn to the subject of women refugees and the trails they go through on the journeys away from their homes. Women, in general, have to know how to fight for their rights and lives in normal everyday society, imagine what these women who have lost everything must go through.

A study was done by Amnesty International where they interviewed 40 women and girls traveling from Turkey to Greece. These women opened up and told that they felt unsafe due to the lack of accommodations given to women. They would have to sleep next to all of the other refugee men that they didn't know and share bathrooms with them as well. On top of these uncomfortable situations, a dozen women admitted to being touched, stroked, or leered at while on this journey. The women were also repeatedly approached by smugglers and told that if they engage in sexual acts with them they would not have to pay as much or their wait time would be less. They also faced physical violence not only by other refugees but also by police during transit stages. Just like the one main character in Exit West, even though she was not religious she wore religious robes in hopes that it would keep men from messing with her.

The Women's Refugee Commission not only gives us a way to help these women but it also gives us facts and figures on the statistics for these women. In the world's conflict zones 10 million girls are not in school. 50% of sexual assault victims are 15 years old or younger. More than 60 million girls and young women get married before the age of 18 and are pressure into early childbearing. Young brides are more likely to be victims of gender-based violence and to contract a sexually transmitted disease.

These women are living with the fear of leaving their own home but living with the fear that while trying to get to a better life she is at risk of attack. We wouldn't want this for our mothers, sisters, daughters, or friends, the video linked shows you a glimpse of life in a Syrian refugee camp: a mother must be stronger than a mother.
                                                                                 

Comments

  1. Alexandria AmponsahNovember 28, 2018 at 4:31 AM

    This was a really great post. I had no idea that that many girls are not in school and the situation that women are put in. It is really sad to read that the girls who are sexual assault victims are 15 and younger.

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  2. AnonymousNovember 28, 2018 at 7:20 AM

    It absolutely disgusts me how women are treated all over the world. To have to dress differently in order to feel safer is wrong on so many levels. & the fact that half of women sexually assaulted are under 15 years old is sickening.

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  3. AnonymousNovember 28, 2018 at 12:04 PM

    This makes me so sad. Women in general are often targets of discrimination, but homeless women with little to no resources surely face much greater risks of discrimination and exploitation. I think the world would greatly benefit if we were to invest more in the education of women. It's so sad and shameful to think that anyone could be capable of exploiting and degrading women like this.

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  4. AnonymousNovember 28, 2018 at 12:44 PM

    this is a really good post, it's always important to bring to light these statistics. it's so easy to forget the plight of others

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  5. Climate Crisis: Africa, Asia, Latin AmericaDecember 8, 2018 at 1:57 PM

    I agree with Chris that this is a really good post and I share your and your readers' outrage about the treatment of women.

    ReplyDelete

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