How conflict and displacement make women more vulnerable to sexual and gender based violence, and the European Union's response to migrants subjected to such violence.

Abstract

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by sexual and gender based violence. Living in a conflict affected state or being displaced from one's home increases that vulnerability. There are numerous potential health issues that sexual and gender based violence can cause or aggravate. The situational instability in conflict and displacement settings can make it difficult for women to access services to treat these conditions. This can lead to poor physical, mental, and sexual and reproductive health outcomes for women who have survived acts of sexual and gender based violence. Leaving her home country and applying for refugee status in a safer place does not guarantee that a woman who has experienced sexual and gender based violence will have access to health care to treat any health issues and have better health outcomes. Female migrants in the European Union are consistently less healthy than native populations are. This is a result of vaguely worded policies regarding migrant health packages, the structure of the European Union, and the competing interests of the twenty-eight member states. Cultural differences and language barriers between female migrants and health practitioners can make it difficult to build trust and rapport between these groups, which ultimately can lead to lower service utilisation among migrant populations.