Refugee women desperate to leave the country for more secure locations often are
exposed to risky behaviour that further may revictimize them where exploitative
practices exist such as trafficking and sexual violence at the hands of immigration
officials and armed groups.41 Reports of asylum registration related opportunistic
corruption and ‘sexploitation’ are common as women seek to obtain refugee status in
order to access protection and humanitarian assistance.42 Female refugees face
threats of random arrests or deportation, increasing their vulnerability. Trafficking in
refugee women is also an ever present threat for desperate women and girls looking
for a way out. Women are more likely to be asked to pay for services in kind leading
to risky sexual behaviour.
The 2002 Report of UNHCR titled “Sexual Violence and Exploitation: The Experience
of Refugee Children in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone”
43
exposed rampart
violations against women and girls. Evidence was unearthed of extensive sexual
violence and exploitation of children (girls under 18) committed by community leaders,
teachers, medical workers, humanitarian workers. More recent revelations of
peacekeeping operations and humanitarian workers sexual exploitation and abuse of
refugee women has prompted debate
reflected in the humanitarian #Aidtoo
discourses.44
On arrival in countries that
grant them asylum, women and
girls
find
new
risks
in
humanitarian camps or host
communities.
community
Acts
based
of
banditry
targeted at refugees result in
sexual violence against women
41
UN University ‘Protecting Female Refugees against Sexual and Gender-based Violence in Camps’.
2015Avaialbe at https://unu.edu/publications/articles/protecting-female-refugees-against-sexual-and-genderbased-violence-in-camps.html
42
Statement of Solidarity with Refugee Women and Girls, June 2017. Available at www.womennetwork.org
43
UNHCR ‘Extensive abuse of West African refugee children reported’ Available at
https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2002/2/3c7bf8094/extensive-abuse-west-african-refugee-childrenreported.html26 February 2002
44
The New Humanitarian ‘#Aidtoo:
After Oxfam, what to watch’ Available at
https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news/2019/06/11/aid-sector-abuse-scandal-aidtoo-after-oxfam-whatwatch
24