The Everyday Sexism Project, an online space for women to share stories of the sexism they have experienced in their everyday lives, has launched a website specifically for women refugees. The site allows refugee women to tell their story about how they came to be refugees, how they have been treated in their country of destination, and the sexism that they have encountered in their daily lives.
The organisation Women for Refugee Women has welcomed the initiative, stating
“It’s critically important that all those who can share their stories do – all too often women refugees are ignored, and now we can raise our voices, expose the injustices that millions of women refugees face every day, and build solidarity and action.”
One post by refugee Herlinde tells the story of refugee women struggling to survive while waiting for the Home Office to decide on their cases, and the long wait to appeal a refusal of asylum. Her story highlights the desperation of asylum seekers as they try to survive until they are granted asylum.
“I was destitute for 15 months when the Home Office refused my asylum case in 2009. There were many women, just like myself, who had nowhere to go, and we spent our nights in shelters. Sometimes those shelters are full, and we were forced to spend the night on the streets. One woman told me how she had been raped on the streets because she was sleeping rough. Some women go to Heathrow airport to sleep. Or they take a night bus, going around and around the streets of London. Some women become prostitutes to survive… Being destitute affects your whole wellbeing; your mind, body and soul. I found when I was destitute that I couldn’t plan my life. You feel useless and down. You are not steady, you become like a child.”
You can share your story on the #EverydaySexism refugee page or via Twitter at @4refugeewomen.