Created on: 24 Jan 2018 | Last modified: 31 May 2018
Refugees and asylum seekers flee from their country because of persecution or because of a well-founded fear of persecution. This may be due to an individual’s race, religion, sexuality, nationality, social group, political opinion, trade union activities or as a result of war or conflict.
Some women suffer gender persecution. Many have been estranged from their families and friends and feel isolated in a foreign country with different customs, beliefs and values. Sometimes they are traumatised by their experience – their children, in particular, suffer. Many women refugees have husbands back home who are in prison or who have been killed.