Women with refugee experience

Women with refugee experience have fled their countries of origin to Germany. Many of them experienced violence in their homeland and while fleeing. But even in Germany, they experience gender-based violence: in accommodations, within families and relationships. In public spaces, they are also exposed to the risk of racist attacks.

Many of these women live in refugee shelters. Conditions there often encourage violence: Lack of privacy, locked rooms, and bathrooms are just as stressful as the lack of violence protection policies and complaint systems, the structural power imbalance between staff and residents, and a lack of information about rights and support services in the event of violence.

Legal regulations make protection more difficult

Even after leaving the accommodation, some women with refugee experiences are exposed to violence, for example, within their partners or families. The regulations in immigration law sometimes make it difficult to protect themselves from further violence and to separate from violent partners, for example, through the three-year Marriage period, or when linking the right of residence to the partner in the asylum procedure.

Refugee women experiencing violence take advantage of the protection and counseling options available at women's shelters and specialized counseling centers. However, not all women experiencing violence who have fled have access to protection and support. This is due to funding constraints in women's shelters, barriers such as a lack of language mediation, or a lack of appropriate services.

Women's shelter coordination gathers practical experience on the protection of refugee women from violence, identifies gaps, and implements projects to improve protection against violence for refugee women.

Learn more about how FHK is choosing a better protection for refugee womenn is used.