Immigration and Trauma

Abstract

While most people continue to live in their countries of origin, on average, one in every twenty-eight people lived in a country different from their country of birth by the end of 2021. Researchers commonly categorize migration as either voluntary or forced; however, for many immigrants, the decision to leave could be the result of an array of factors in-between forced decisions and choices. Forced migration is often abrupt and unplanned and happens in response to human-made or natural disasters. Voluntary migration, on the other hand, is usually planned and occurs in search of better living conditions. In the context of forced migration, the decision to leave often happens following a traumatic experience such as violence, persecution, and torture in war or conflict-affected areas or starvation, disease, and loss of friends or family members after natural disasters. For the majority of forced migrants, passing an international border to seek safety is also a life-threatening experience, with the risk of trafficking and sexual exploitation. In the post-migration phase, recognized groups of forcibly displaced people, including refugees, asylum seekers, survivors of trafficking, and unaccompanied minors, receive some level of protection and specific rights. Immigrants who are not recognized as groups needing protection should present the legal documents required by host countries upon arrival; otherwise, they may face further traumatic experiences such as violence, deportation or detention, and verbal or physical abuse in transit. Leaving familiar spaces behind, arduous journeys to host countries, and adjusting to new environments often bring major stressors to the life of different groups of immigrants, including those who left their countries voluntarily. Immigrants may live with a profound sense of loss as the result of family separation or loss of familiar language, values, culture, attitudes, and support networks. Stressors associated with acculturation, role change and changes in the family system, under-evaluation of education or skills, susceptibility to economic insecurity and exploitation, isolation, difficulty accessing resources and navigating complex and unfamiliar systems, language barriers, anti-immigrant environments, discrimination, limited social supports, and worries about family welfare are also common among different groups of immigrants.