A framework for clinical practice with sexual and gender minority asylum seekers.

Violence against sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals has continued to proliferate globally. Yet, less is known about victimization among subgroups of SGM individuals, especially SGM immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. There has been a steady increase in this vulnerable group of migrants over the years, and emerging evidence has pointed to their heightened risk of victimization. We conducted a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature that examined violence, abuse, and mental health among SGM individuals who migrate internationally. One hundred ninety-nine articles were identified by searching five scholarly databases and hand searching. Twenty-six articles met inclusion criteria. We first used the migration framework, which outlines the distinct phases of the migration trajectory (predeparture, travel, interception, destination, and return), to categorize findings and then identified four overarching themes to capture SGM migrants’ experiences at each phase: severe and prolonged violence and abuse related to sexual orientation or gender identity (predeparture); continued victimization and high-risk for sexual violence (travel); detainment- and deportation-related violence and abuse (interception and return); and new manifestations of violence and abuse while living with past trauma (destination). Violence and abuse began in childhood and continued in the host country, where they faced discrimination while managing posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Findings indicate that SGM migrants are extremely vulnerable to victimization. There is an immediate need for policies to protect SGM individuals worldwide and for affirmative, culturally informed practices to help SGM migrants manage trauma and the structural barriers impeding recovery.

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Sexual and Gender Minority Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylum Seekers

Social Work ◽

10.1093/obo/9780195389678-0291 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Edward Alessi ◽

Sarilee Kahn ◽

Woo Jin Edward Lee

Keyword(s):

Host Country ◽

Asylum Seeker ◽

Asylum Seekers ◽

Country Of Origin ◽

The United States ◽

Foreign Country ◽

Gender Minority ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender ◽

Refugees And Asylum Seekers

Over the years, research on immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers has been rooted in hetero- and cisnormative discourse that has not only rendered these individuals invisible but also led to a lack of understanding of what they need to successfully integrate into host societies. However, as significant numbers of sexual and gender minority (SGM) people continue to migrate from their countries of origin to various countries around the world, SGM migration can no longer be viewed as a niche area, but one that is placed front and center in migration studies and current discourse on immigration. To provide context for the articles, books, and chapters in this article, it is important to discuss the differences among the terms: immigrant, refugee, and asylum seeker. An immigrant is a broad term used to describe someone who permanently moves to a foreign country. A refugee refers to an individual who flees their country of origin due to persecution; however, refugees are vetted prior to entering the host country while waiting in a country of transit. For example, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees might vet SGM individuals in Turkey before sending them to Canada. An asylum seeker also flees their country of origin due to persecution but is vetted after entering the host country. For instance, an SGM individual may enter the United States on a student or tourist visa, but then decide to seek asylum because they fear returning to their country of origin. The other term that is commonly used is migrant, which refers to an individual who moves from one place to another, either temporarily or permanently, in search of better work opportunities or social conditions. While domestic migration does occur often, this review focuses specifically on international migrants (i.e., those who move to a foreign country). The term migrant is used interchangeably with immigrant, refugee, or asylum seeker. Although these categories are technically different, it can be hard to distinguish among these socially constructed categories, as the experiences of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers share many commonalities during the pre-migration, travel, and resettlement phases, as will be evidenced in the works discussed in this article.

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