Dealing with Most Compelling Situations: Being an LGBTI Refugee and Sexual Assault Victim

Abstract

By the January 2018, there are 20 million refugees and 3 million asylum seekers around the world. LGBTI refugees, by being both sexual and ethnic minority are at higher risk of experiencing sexual violence. In addition to previous trauma and unacceptability issues in a new country, ongoing fear of violence and sense of helplessness is causing the development of psychiatric disorders like PTSD, depression etc. The aim of this presentation is to discuss legal protection and community based protection structures over 3 cases of LGBTI asylum seekers who had immigrated to Turkey because they were threatened by their sexual orientation/identity in their own country. All three cases have stated to be exposed to sexual assault from perpatrators both in their country and the host country. Our three cases were a Syrian man who was raped in his host country and threatened so far, an Iranian who was raped several times, mostly exposed to opportunistic abuse in daily life, an Afghan refugee who was raped by an other refugee regularly in a shelter where they have been replaced by United Nations as he claimed. Because of the limited time of accomodation, poverty, vulnerability for assault and double stigmatization by being both refugee and LGBTI, resettlement in a safe country is a priority according to the international law.