Strategies for seeking care in the host country among asylum-seeking women who have been victims of sexual violence: A French qualitative study

Background

Incidence of sexual violence among recently arrived asylum-seeking women in France (INCIDAVI) is a French study which found a past year incidence of 26 % for postarrival sexual violence (SV) among asylum-seeking women (ASW). It reported that fewer than 1 out of 10 victims consulted a healthcare professional when SV occurred. These findings raise the question of how ASW who have been victims of SV get involved in care. We aimed to explore the mechanisms and obstacles to seeking care in the host country among this population.

Methods

This qualitative phase of INCIDAVI was based on a grounded theory approach. Twenty semi structured interviews were conducted between February 1, 2022, and July 29, 2022. The interviews explored the conditions under which women talk about SV, the care pathway in France and the perceived consequences of care. We performed an inductive analysis using NVivo® 14 software.

Findings

Life paths of ASW are traversed by SV which influence their health and safety behaviour and can re-expose them to SV. Talking about SV is a rare choice focused on seeking protection. When appropriate care is used, it is perceived as beneficial and leads to a change in the perception of a possible recovery.

Interpretation

The failure of ASW to seek care for SV is shaped by the fact that SV is initially perceived as ordinary. A proactive attitude on the part of carers towards detecting such violence leads to positive experiences of care, which in turn influence women's initial perceptions of SV, enabling them to envisage health recovery.