Asylum-seekers suffering from sexual harassment and violence

Excerpts from Geneva Briefing. Watch the full:
The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) expressed concern about asylum-seekers suffering from sexual harassment and violence in sub-standard reception centres on the Greek islands.
UNHCR’s spokesperson Cecile Pouilly said to media representatives in Geneva today (9 Feb) that “in 2017, UNHCR received reports from 622 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) on the Greek islands, out of which at least 28 per cent experienced SGBV after arriving in Greece”.
Pouilly added that “the situation is most worrying in the Reception and Identification Centres (RIC) of Moria and Vathy on the islands of Lesvos and Samos, where thousands of refugees continue to stay in unsuitable shelter with inadequate security. Reports of sexual harassment in Moria are particularly high”.
Pouilly noted that in Moria and Vathy “bathrooms and latrines are no-go zones after dark for women and children. Even bathing during day time can be dangerous”.
Helping survivors is hampered by a reluctance to report assaults out of fear, shame, stigma and retaliation. UNHCR assumes that the actual number of incidents is likely to be much higher.
UNHCR’s spokesperson Pouilly said that “thanks to recent accelerated transfers to the mainland by the authorities overcrowding has slightly reduced over the past weeks. But these still crowded conditions hinder outreach and prevention activities. For example, in Moria, 30 government medical staff, psychologists and social workers share three rooms, where they have to conduct examinations and assessments in the absence of privacy”.
According to Pouilly “insecurity is another problem. Although there are police patrols, clearly they remain insufficient”. Conditions are also building frustration among people, leading to a difficult and tense security environment, further raising the risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
UNHCR welcomes measures taken by the government to reduce the risk of SGBV. However, according to Pouilly, “we believe that further steps are needed. These should include appropriate allocation of shelter and gender separation should be ensured to avoid women having to share shelter with unknown males; improved conditions and services including medical and psycho-social support, and cultural mediation; increasing police patrolling including with additional policewomen; more lighting in public areas; continuing efforts to ease overcrowding, notably through the continued increased transfers to the mainland”.