Sexual Gender-based Violence In French Refugee Camps: Disclosure Patterns As Discussed By Humanitarian Workers

As of 2019, the refugee crisis is officially one of the highest the world has ever seen with a total of 79.5 million individuals forcibly displaced worldwide (UNCHR, 2019). At least 50 percent are reported to be women and girls (Freedman, 2016; UNCHR, 2017).

Gender-based violence is violence directed against a person based on their gender (EIGE, 2015). Studies and reports show refugee camps are places where gender-based violence occurs quite often and where reports are rarely made to individuals in a position to help.

Organizations such as Call for Action have launched programs focusing on protection from gender-based violence in emergency settings (Wirtz et al., 2013; Women’s Refugee Commission, 2016). Despite the understanding of gender-based violence and its outcomes among the general public, little is known regarding these discussions in relation to refugee women (Wirtz et al., 2013).

The present study aims to better understand disclosure patterns and the perceived barriers that are faced by female refugees when reporting sexual violence to humanitarian workers in French refugee camps in the hopes of shedding light on this under-researched issue.