Chances of asylum being denied are twice as high for female refugees in the UK than for males, recent research shows. The findings suggest that officials often don’t believe the women’s stories of rape and torture.
According to recent research by the UK-based organization Women for Refugee Women, half of the women seeking asylum in the United Kingdom have experienced torture or rape, but are refused asylum. The research indicates that women may feel too ashamed and traumatized to speak about what has happened to them since their experiences include details of sexual violence. And when they decide do discuss the details, some authorities may not find their stories credible.
The research is available here.
