Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel
Abstract Background Eritrean migrants in Israel, the majority of whom are seeking asylum, have limited access to institutional support. While the temporary group protection granted to Eritreans by Israel ensures that they are not deported, it does not confer permanent legal status, nor does it allow...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Women's Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-018-0624-y |
| _version_ | 1818998530000289792 |
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| author | Tsega Gebreyesus Zebib Sultan Habtom M. Ghebrezghiabher Wietse A. Tol Peter J. Winch Nadav Davidovitch Pamela J. Surkan |
| author_facet | Tsega Gebreyesus Zebib Sultan Habtom M. Ghebrezghiabher Wietse A. Tol Peter J. Winch Nadav Davidovitch Pamela J. Surkan |
| author_sort | Tsega Gebreyesus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Eritrean migrants in Israel, the majority of whom are seeking asylum, have limited access to institutional support. While the temporary group protection granted to Eritreans by Israel ensures that they are not deported, it does not confer permanent legal status, nor does it allow access to the formal work sector. This study qualitatively explores how political and economic marginalization increases the risk of sexual and other forms of violence as well as the exploitation of Eritrean women asylum seekers living in Israel. Methods Twenty-five interviews with key informants, twelve individual interviews (six with men and six with women), and eight focus group discussions (four with men and four with women) were conducted among Eritreans of reproductive age in Tel Aviv, Israel. Qualitative data analysis was conducted using open, focused, and axial coding. Results Participants reported that Israel’s restrictive immigration policies laid the foundation for the political and economic marginalization of asylum seekers. This manifested in limited access to institutional support during and after arrival, and hindered access to formal employment and its associated protections. The Israeli government’s decision to grant provisional status with a stipulation banning Eritreans from the formal work sector was perceived to create direct and indirect conditions for a heightened sense of structural vulnerability, particularly for women. Participants reported that this structural vulnerability increased the risk of sexual and domestic violence in addition to the risk for the exploitation of women asylum seekers. Conclusions Israel’s immigration policies may contribute to women asylum seekers’ vulnerability to sexual violence upon arrival in their host country. These policies shape the social realities of women asylum seekers, potentially increasing their risk of violence and exploitation during their time in Israel. This study provides an example of the effects of political and economic marginalization on violence against women, a concept that may apply to other settings globally. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:02:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d88b9f66e7f24df6b94153756a777f42 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6874 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:02:59Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Women's Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-d88b9f66e7f24df6b94153756a777f422022-12-21T19:25:19ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742018-08-0118111110.1186/s12905-018-0624-yLife on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in IsraelTsega Gebreyesus0Zebib Sultan1Habtom M. Ghebrezghiabher2Wietse A. Tol3Peter J. Winch4Nadav Davidovitch5Pamela J. Surkan6Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthEritrean Women’s CenterDepartment of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthDepartment of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthAbstract Background Eritrean migrants in Israel, the majority of whom are seeking asylum, have limited access to institutional support. While the temporary group protection granted to Eritreans by Israel ensures that they are not deported, it does not confer permanent legal status, nor does it allow access to the formal work sector. This study qualitatively explores how political and economic marginalization increases the risk of sexual and other forms of violence as well as the exploitation of Eritrean women asylum seekers living in Israel. Methods Twenty-five interviews with key informants, twelve individual interviews (six with men and six with women), and eight focus group discussions (four with men and four with women) were conducted among Eritreans of reproductive age in Tel Aviv, Israel. Qualitative data analysis was conducted using open, focused, and axial coding. Results Participants reported that Israel’s restrictive immigration policies laid the foundation for the political and economic marginalization of asylum seekers. This manifested in limited access to institutional support during and after arrival, and hindered access to formal employment and its associated protections. The Israeli government’s decision to grant provisional status with a stipulation banning Eritreans from the formal work sector was perceived to create direct and indirect conditions for a heightened sense of structural vulnerability, particularly for women. Participants reported that this structural vulnerability increased the risk of sexual and domestic violence in addition to the risk for the exploitation of women asylum seekers. Conclusions Israel’s immigration policies may contribute to women asylum seekers’ vulnerability to sexual violence upon arrival in their host country. These policies shape the social realities of women asylum seekers, potentially increasing their risk of violence and exploitation during their time in Israel. This study provides an example of the effects of political and economic marginalization on violence against women, a concept that may apply to other settings globally.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-018-0624-yEritreaAsylumPolicyForced migrationMarginalizationwomen’s health |
| spellingShingle | Tsega Gebreyesus Zebib Sultan Habtom M. Ghebrezghiabher Wietse A. Tol Peter J. Winch Nadav Davidovitch Pamela J. Surkan Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel BMC Women's Health Eritrea Asylum Policy Forced migration Marginalization women’s health |
| title | Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel |
| title_full | Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel |
| title_fullStr | Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel |
| title_short | Life on the margins: the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among Eritrean asylum-seeking women in Israel |
| title_sort | life on the margins the experiences of sexual violence and exploitation among eritrean asylum seeking women in israel |
| topic | Eritrea Asylum Policy Forced migration Marginalization women’s health |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12905-018-0624-y |
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