Abstract
ObjectivesTo know the experiences of Venezuelan migrant women living in shelters in Roraima state at the northwestern border between Venezuela and Brazil regarding situations of violence as part of the dynamics of everyday life.Materials and methodsData were collected in January 2020 through 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 5 to 14 Venezuelan migrant women aged 18–49 years old living transitorily in five shelters established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Brazilian government. We obtained individual and shared views on the experiences regarding violence that migrant women may experience in their everyday life. To organize the FGDs, variations in age and the time women were living at the shelters were considered. All FGDs were held in a place at the shelter that guaranteed privacy and secrecy so that women could express themselves freely. The initial question was broad and open ended and was followed by more specific questions about situations of domestic violence and other types of violence.ResultsThe main themes identified were the following: i) women’s perceptions on domestic violence, ii) women’s perceptions on how humanitarian organizations were managing the episodes of domestic violence, and iii) situations considered violence in everyday life at the shelters. The FGDs showed that the reported violence inside the shelters was high, and several forms of violence emerged. Violence was identified as physical aggression and psychological threats, and violence in everyday life at the shelter included xenophobia when the migrants went outside the shelters that was perceived and described as violence.ConclusionsAccording to the perspective of Venezuelan migrant women violence was part of everyday life among those living in the UNHCR shelters at the northwestern border of Brazil-Venezuela. These women are not comfortable with this situation, and it is difficult for them to understand and handle the episodes of violence.
Highlights
It is estimated that 272 million people worldwide have been forced to leave their homes in search of new opportunities and to meet their basic needs [1,2]
According to the perspective of Venezuelan migrant women violence was part of everyday life among those living in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) shelters at the northwestern border of Brazil-Venezuela
We excluded: i) women aged over 49 years old because we only considered women at reproductive age and ii). adolescents under 18 years old were excluded because according to the Brazilian law they only can participate in research studies after their parents or legal guardian signs an inform consent and because we consider that adolescents under 18 years old may present different life experiences
Summary
It is estimated that 272 million people worldwide have been forced to leave their homes in search of new opportunities and to meet their basic needs [1,2]. A high prevalence of violence was reported among migrant women [5]. It is estimated that 48% of migrants are women, and it has been reported that violence inflicts serious damage to physical and mental integrity [6]. It was reported that 1 out of 3 women worldwide (35.6%) is a victim of violence [7,8]; in American countries, 29.8% of cases of violence are committed by an intimate partner, and 10.7% are committed by a non-intimate partner [6,9]
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