Abused No More: The Voices of Refugee and

Asylum-seeking Women

Training on Gender Sensitivity

in the Asylum Process

About IARS • IARS is a leading, international think-tank with a charitable mission to give

everyone a chance to forge a safer, fairer and more inclusive society.

We achieve our charitable aims by producing evidence-based solutions to

current social problems, sharing best practice and by supporting young

people and the community to shape decision making. IARS is an

international expert in criminal justice, restorative justice, human rights

and inclusion, citizenship and user-led research.

• We are known for our robust, independent, evidence-based approach to

solving current social problems, and we are considered a pioneer in user-

involvement and the application of user-led research methods.

• IARS is also an independent publisher of high quality research in the areas

of youth policy, criminal justice law reform, restorative justice, public legal

education, equality, human rights and social sciences.

• To find out more, please visit www.iars.org.uk

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• Three-year Comic Relief and Matrix Chambers funded project which is a

user-led skills development and research programme forming an

evidence-based awareness raising training for professionals and service

providers focusing on the impact of gender-related violence on refugee and

asylum-seeking women (RASW). The project aims to generate institutional

change and increased gender sensitivity in the treatment of refugee and

asylum-seeking women, both by harnessing existing research and by

allowing the women themselves to identify the problems they currently face

through community-led action research.

• Prof Margaret Greenfields „Action Research With Refugee Women: Good

Practice and Solutions to Community Participation‟

• Holly Challenger „Abused No More: The Voices of Refugee and Asylum-

seeking Women‟

• We are also working in partnership with the Evelyn Oldfield Unit

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Abused No More: The Voices of Refugee

and Asylum-seeking Women project

Definition of gender-based violence • Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence that is directed against a

person on the basis of gender. It constitutes a breach of the fundamental

right to life, liberty, security, dignity, equality between women and men, non-

discrimination and physical and mental integrity. Gender-based violence

and violence against women are often used interchangeably as most

gender-based violence is inflicted by men on women and girls.

• Gender-based violence includes:

• Domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, sexual violence during conflict

and harmful customary or traditional practices such as female genital

mutilation, forced marriages and honour crimes;

• Trafficking in women, forced prostitution and violations of human rights in

armed conflict (in particular murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and

forced pregnancy);

• Forced sterilisation, forced abortion, coercive use of contraceptives, female

infanticide and prenatal sex selection.

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Refugee protection

Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 defines

refugee as a person who:

• “Owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race,

religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or

political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and unable or,

owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that

country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his

habitual residence… is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return

to it”.

• The Convention does not include gender as one of the grounds on which

it is possible to be recognised as a refugee. In order to encourage a gender-

sensitive interpretation of the 1951 Refugee Convention the United Nations

High Commission for Refugees produced guidelines in 1991 and 2002 to

assist nations in considering claims relating to gender.

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Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and its impact on

the ability to recall past traumatic experiences

• Damaged self-integrity – not being able to answer the question „what

happened to you‟, and not being able to present the traumatic experience in

its continuity

• Helplessness – being unable to talk about experiences involving

helplessness

• Re-experiencing – nightmares or intrusive memories – not being able to

concentrate and talk coherently

• Avoidance – not being able to remember

• Increased arousal – not being able to recall memories; perceiving the world

as dangerous; aggressive behaviour

• Sleeping disorders – may lead to aggressive, non-cooperative behaviour

• Emotional numbing – talking about trauma with short, colourless sentences,

with little detail and in disengaged manner

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Intercultural competence

• Keep in mind that cultural signs are always part of a larger system.

• Keep in mind that we are products of our own cultures and that our

judgements are greatly influenced by our cultural identities.

• Seek out books, articles and other resources about the cultures whose

representatives you encounter at work. Pay particular attention to the

relationship between different social, cultural and ethnic groups, gender

norms, basic forms of body language and social rules regarding the display

of respect.

• Read more about your own culture.

• Remember that cultures are not homogenous and that they change all the

time.

• Don‟t be afraid to ask people about their cultural practices and norms.

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Communication barriers

• Language - where possible, a woman or girl should be provided with an

interpreter, preferably female. The professional should not accept friends‟ or

family members‟ offers to interpret on behalf of the woman/girl, to avoid the

risk of emotional constraints, pressure or incorrect (subjective)

interpretations of the statements.

• Cultural aspects - professionals should show respect for the woman‟s

cultural and religious background but condemn violations of women‟s and

child rights.

• Inappropriate setting - counselling and other forms of support should be

carried out in a place where the woman‟s/girl‟s privacy and safety are

ensured, and where nobody can enter without permission.

• Time constraints - the professional should confirm the appointment with the

woman, and make sure that both have sufficient time to dedicate to the

discussion. If necessary, a follow-up appointment should be agreed.

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Principles of good practice

• Be aware and informed

• Assess individual needs

• Be sensitive and non-judgemental

• Be alerted to manifestations of psychological

distress

• Treatment and referrals

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Building a trusting relationship

• Privacy and confidentiality

• Patience

• Remaining non-judgmental

• Understanding of non-verbal cues

• Use facilitation skills

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Asylum process in the UK

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Asylum interview checklist:

• Ask the applicant if she has anything to add

• Advise the applicant what will happen following the interview, including:

When a decision can be expected

What will happen if the application is successful (concerning

documentation, family reunification, the right to work, etc.)

What will happen if the application is not successful (explain the right to

and procedure of appeal)

• Reassure the applicant that, whatever the circumstances of the case, all

relevant information will be included in the interview report that will

accompany the request for recognition of refugee status

• Ask the applicant if she has any last questions, and thank her for the

interview

• Thank the interpreter and give the applicant the opportunity to do likewise

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Principles of good practice

• Ensure that refugee applicants affected by gender-based violence are

interviewed alone by a female staff member and a female interpreter, in a

gender-sensitive, trustful, confidential and reassuring environment.

• Remember that an applicant who has undergone gender-based violence

can be defined as a member of a vulnerable group requiring specific

protection, and hence lightened burden of proof.

• Be aware of gender and cross-cultural differences in communication; use

both open and closed questions and avoid questions that may impede

communication or be perceived as judgemental.

• Familiarise yourself with the pattern of symptoms that may be exhibited by

victims of gender-based violence and ensure that follow-up counselling and

medical and legal assistance are made available where needed.

• Familiarise yourself with relevant information concerning refugee women

affected by gender-based violence, including protection guidelines and data

on country of origin.

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Services

Specialist counselling

• The Haven Centres (www.thehavens.co.uk) provide on-going

support to survivors on the emotional and physical impacts of rape

and also a sensitive medical examination service

• The Anna Freud Centre in London (www.annafreudcentre.org) run

a mother-infant psychotherapy service and are a good source of

training and advice on the issue of pregnancy and children resulting

from rape

• The Women’s Therapy Centre (www.womenstherapycentre.co.uk)

is a specialist provider of psychoanalytic psychotherapy to women,

including refugee and asylum seeking women

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Services continued

Legal Assistance

• Asylum Aid (www.asylumaid.org.uk) provides specialist assistance and advice to women in the

asylum process through the Refugee Women‟s Resource Project. Clients may be assisted in their

applications for asylum by having a detailed medico-legal report prepared, which documents any

medical evidence of the traumas experienced by the client. Such reports should always be

prepared by a competent medical professional

• The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (www.torturecare.org.uk) offers a

medico-legal report writing service and advice and training to other professionals in this area.

They also offer therapeutic services to torture survivors and support to professionals from their

offices in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle and Glasgow

• The Red Cross International Tracing & Messaging Service (www.redcross.org.uk) can assist

clients who have lost contact with relatives to try to locate and contact them, through the Red

Cross‟ network of organisations around the world

• The Refugee Council website (www.RefugeeCouncil.org.uk) contains information in a range of

languages about rights and entitlements to support for asylum seekers and refugees at all stages

of the process

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We would like to thank our funders,

Comic Relief and Matrix Chambers,

and our partner, the Evelyn Oldfield Unit

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To find out more about IARS, please visit www.iars.org.uk

If you would like to donate to our project,

please visit the Big Give website

http://www.thebiggive.org.uk/

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