As in many refugee situations, women face an especially large burden and are more prone to physical and sexual attacks. Unfortunately, many Syrian women are facing the expectation of sexual favors (or just straight-up rape) from aid workers as well as from local civilians, especially women who are living in Jordan and Lebanon. Many female Syrian refugees who were married are now widowed (or their husbands’ whereabouts are unknown), making them especially vulnerable in a refugee situation. Married refugee women may also suffer abuse at the hands of their husbands, who have no outlet for the stress and fear they feel, and, being unable to find a culturally-acceptable means to express those feelings, channel their tension into physical rage against their wives.
In ISIS-controlled areas, some refugee families are resorting to selling their teenage daughters into marriage, in order to earn some small pittance. It is estimated that up to two in 10 Syrian teenage girls end up being sold in this way. Syrian refugees are generally unable to work to earn money, so for some families, this is the only way they are able to make money.
Another way in which female Syrian refugees are disadvantaged is something that we in America take for granted: menstrual products. In most cases, Syrians living in cities are given coupons to buy food. Those coupons can’t be used for menstrual products, and most women don’t have cash to pay for them. The refugee situation is so dire that some Syrians are considering a return to their devastated home country.
All of these challenges are magnified when a refugee woman has children to care for. She needs to work hard to try to secure medical care and education for her children in addition to keeping herself (and her children) safe from harassment and abuse.
It is important to remember that refugees are individuals, not indistinguishable members of a foreign grouping. As in any other situation, some individuals are faced with additional disadvantages, and it is important that we keep that in mind in our discussions of the Syrian refugee crisis.
