Gender-based violence leaves Immigrant Survivors isolated during Coronavirus pandemic

Imagine having to flee your home country due to abuse. Imagine the fear. Imagine the heartbreak. Imagine gaining access to another country, only to be faced with more violence. Imagine being raped back home and escaping, then being abused again in the US when you were only searching for safety. Imagine this now. When support is limited and you are completely isolated. Feeling scared. Feeling hopeless. Feeling vulnerable.

Coronavirus has caused many changes and impacted our lives in ways we could not imagine. We accept that changes to our society are vital to contain the virus and save lives. Despite this, the lockdown has created heightened danger for many immigrant women. Statistics present that immigrant women and girls are up to two times more likely to experience domestic violence than the general population. The Tahirih Justice Centre has spoken out about how this lockdown is affecting the lives of their clients.

What is the Tahirih Justice Centre? They have described themselves as “the only national, multi-city organization providing a broad range of direct legal and social services, policy advocacy, and training and education to protect immigrant women and girls fleeing violence.” They encourage females who are victims of violence to speak out and assist them in court to help them live in a world of safety and equality.

During this lockdown, these women facing abuse are at heightened risk for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the need for a worldwide lockdown has left many victims of abuse stuck in the house with their abusers, with little opportunities to escape or reach out to others. For immigrant victims, their situation may be more serious due to the lack of support they are likely to face from police officials. Immigrant survivors face a complex immigration system and a tough court despite all clients of the Tahirih Justice Centre having a right to protection under existing US laws. They are often neglected despite their vulnerability. On top of this, they are facing language barriers. This is for when they can take their case to court as all court hearings are currently put on hold. They are also facing a lack of access to support services as many have been forced to close due to the pandemic; thus, leaving them more isolated and vulnerable due to their inability to seek assistance over violence.

Most immigrant survivors have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and have no security, therefore they must rely on their abusers for the basic human essentials of food, shelter & access to healthcare. This dependency deepens the power dynamics of the relationship even further. But also, their abusers may be faced with unemployment, this may cause increased violence from the abuser due to their inability to deal with anxiety, therefore lashing out against their partner. For these female immigrants, the violence they face is much more likely to be life-threatening. They are facing months trapped inside with their attackers in such proximity they may not be able to phone anyone for guidance without being heard. With no ability to seek support from family and friends they are completely cut off from the outside world in a much more dangerous way.

Ana was a survivor; she managed to escape her abuser and immigrate to another country. Yet she was soon sent back to her home country and forced to flee again. Imagine her situation now that life-saving forms of relief, eg. asylum is on hold. Aicha was forced to marry at 17, her relationship consisting of rape and abuse. Upon arriving at US in search for safety she only found more violence. Aicha is not the only one in this situation as globally 142 girls will be married before 19 by 2020 if the current trend continues. The reality for these women and girls is heart breaking as it is a challenge for them to escape gender-based violence in a ‘normal’ world. Imagine how hard it is for them now with minimized hope of being able to escape. At least not for now.