Rights groups raise alarm as female migrants in France face ‘double violence’

A report by Amnesty International gave away new findings that showed female migrants across France are facing double violence when they sought police protection after facing sexual abuse or experiencing rape.

In France, only 6 percent of women who are victims of sexual violence file a complaint with the police. Migrant women who seek help from authorities face obstacles ranging from being ignored, arrested and even are deported. 

The Amnesty International report shows that “numerous female migrants who were victims of violence went to the police station to be protected and were issued an OQTF (Obligation to leave French Territory) and placed in detention.” Based on the witness accounts from 20 different organisations, the report shows the numerous barriers women migrants in France face when trying to report crimes such as sexual violence that they have faced.

Before arriving in Europe, migrants face a lot of difficulties in their journey. The difficulties soars up in case of women and girls as they become more prone to sexual violence as they often get outnumbered by men and become vulnerable to abuse by smugglers and police officers.

Upon arrival in French Territory, women migrants and girls becomes a target for sexual violence. Reports say that they are 18 times more vulnerable to forced sex, unstable housing and rapes along with endured cases of blackmail in the months right after they land than other women residing in France. 

Some migrants also say that administrative precariousness can endanger an overexposure to sexual violence especially for those who live in streets, lack housing and often trades sexual favours for housing.

The police do not take women migrants seriously as they lack proper documents and the officials tend to discriminate against the migrants on racial and ethnic basis.