Violence reported by asylum seekers assisted by the Archdiocesan Caritas of Rio de Janeiro from 2010 to 2017

Abstract

Currently, the world has 89.3 million forcibly displaced people, including 27.1 million refugees. Among the reasons for displacement are torture and other forms of violence, but the real prevalence of violence before and during migration is poorly reported. The aim of this study is to analyze the prevalence of reported violence among asylum seekers in Rio de Janeiro and its associated factors. We collected secondary data from individuals who filled out the National Committee for Refugees’ asylum application forms from 2010 to 2017 and responded to the social interview at Cáritas-RJ. We included 1,546 asylum seekers with a mean age of 30 (range 15-72), 65% of whom were men. One third reported experiencing violence before arriving in Brazil. Chances of experiencing violence were 20 to 40 times higher among refugees arriving from Pakistan, Congo, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea. Physical violence/torture and psychological threats were the most frequent forms (10%, 7% and 6% of the population, respectively). Among women, sexual violence was the most frequent form of violence (9% of women). We conclude that asylum seekers in Brazil frequently suffered violence before their arrival, particularly some groups. This needs to be addressed when providing services to this extremely vulnerable population.