MID West migrant rights organisation Doras Luimní says that the recent publication of the Rape Crisis Network Ireland report on sexual violence and the experience of asylum seekers and refugees reaffirms concerns raised by the group about the direct provision system.
Doras Luimní chief executive Karen McHugh stated that asylum seekers “are being re-traumatised by their experience of living in direct provision”.
“They are an exceptionally vulnerable group, with many having experienced trauma, conflict and persecution in their countries of origin before coming to Ireland,” she added.
Ms McHugh continued: “The dehumanising living conditions in the shared accommodation provided under the direct provision system is wholly inappropriate for survivors of sexual violence, who are trying to recover from traumatic events. Furthermore, we know that women have been targeted for the purposes of sexual exploitation while living in direct provision, and the RCNI report reaffirms this.”
Patricia Stapleton, anti-trafficking officer with Doras Luimní, commented: “We know from working with victims of trafficking that living in direct provision centres prolongs the anxiety and depression that women experience. Also, the controlled environment replicates the trafficking situation and one controller simply replaces another.”
