Nearly 25% of refugee women have tried to kill themselves

Published on Thursday 18 June 2009 23:13

NEARLY a quarter of women seeking asylum in Scotland have attempted to take their own lives, according to new research.

The study, carried out in part by the Scottish Refugee Council, also found 70 per cent of women asylum seekers experienced physical or sexual violence.

The findings have led to calls for improved access to services and support for those women who are often suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The report, led by the Gender Violence and Health Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, found that some women described themselves as "walking dead", and said the asylum process had served only to worsen their health.

Cathy Zimmerman, a lecturer at the Gender Violence and Health Centre, and the report's principal investigator, said the research surrounding suicidal thoughts was alarming.

Of those women surveyed, 22 per cent reported trying to take their own life at some point, while 20 per cent reported suicidal thoughts in the seven days prior to taking part in the survey. Ms Zimmerman called for an end to the disparity regarding access to domestic abuse services open to UK nationals and those seeking asylum.

She also said there was a need for specific services to detect and respond to those women thinking of ending their lives.

Helen Baillot, a senior asylum support advisor at the SRC, said many women were dropped off at her office without even knowing which country they were in, and pointed to a widespread reluctance of some women to speak out against abuse.

The research involved interviews with 46 women seeking asylum in Scotland, the majority of whom were from Africa.