Are female asylum seekers safe in communal accommodation? According to media reports, Rita Ojunge was allegedly threatened by a male neighbor before she disappeared and was later found dead.
The case has brought renewed attention to demands from women's rights and refugee activists who say that not enough is being done to keep women safe in communal shelters. Most asylum seekers in Germany are typically required to live in these shelters for a prolonged time.
Women and girls made up 35 percent of all people who asked for asylum in Germany between and In communal shelters, women -- particularly if they are there alone or with just their children β are often having a harder time feeling safe and comfortable.
Regardless of gender, communal shelters can be difficult for anyone. Many people from many different cultures live together in close quarters where they have little to no privacy. Many residents also have to deal with the trauma they experienced before or during their refugee journey to Germany. Most experts agree that women are much more likely to become the victims of sexualized violence at the shelters. Potential aggressors are both fellow asylum seekers and staff at the shelter, in particular security personnel, which is often predominantly male.
According to the F ederal Criminal Police Agency , for example, According to the authors of a study on conflicts in accommodation for refugees, the way refugee shelters are set up often create circumstances in which gender-based violence and sexual harassment is more likely to occur. But based on interviews InfoMigrants conducted with experts and advocates, the findings still apply today and to shelters nationwide.
