The majority of the women I met during the twelve years I have been working on detention, as a feminist advocate and researcher, have suffered a wide range of forms of gendered violence, including sexual, domestic and/or reproductive violence. However, their experiences are rarely acknowledged as a ground for protection.

To escape these situations and change their lives for the better, women often embark on difficult journeys, during which they are exposed to multiple forms of torturous violence. Many report extensive experiences of rape, sometimes at the hands of law enforcement. Overall, women on the move face a lot of visible and invisible patriarchal forms of violence and for this reason they deserve particular care upon arrival.

Unfortunately, women’s problems often do not cease upon arrival. As many women have revealed in their conversations with me, the ‘precarious life’ they sought to escape through migration often persisted in destination countries. Sexism, violence and exploitation, although materialised in different forms and through other means, continued to affect them. These problems are exacerbated by harsh immigration policies adopted by most countries. Women’s vulnerability is exacerbated by the difficulty  of obtaining secure immigration status. In addition, the threat of being apprehended by state authorities and of being deported often prevents women from accessing social and healthcare service. The illegalisation they suffer enhances their risk of entering abusive and exploitative relations, both socially and at work. These abuses are very rarely reported to state authorities, however, because of women’s fear of being detained and deported.