The SWIM –Safe Women in Migration project aims to contribute to the protection of W/G migrant and asylum seeker victims and at risks of GBV by addressing some of the most urgent needs identified by current literature and by partners’ experience.
Among huge displacement worldwide, Europe is facing the biggest migration flux since World War II. In January 2016 children and women population outnumbered men representing the 60% of refugees and migrants reaching Europe.
Women and girls are more exposed to human trafficking, exploitation, discrimination and abuse than male counterparts, especially when they are travelling alone.
Gender Based Violence (GBV) can occur in different phases of the migration journey: is often the reason for migrating, it might occur during the journey and can happen also once arrived in Europe. Reports and surveys illustrate how the risks is not decreased in the last case and women and girls keep feeling unsafe during their stay in emergency centres, detention centre and reception centres.
The widespread underreporting of GBV is linked to women and girls mistrust in authorities, self-blame, fear of reprisal, but also because they do not have access to information on the rights they are entitle to in each EU Member states.
