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Hostility and violence targeting the LGBTI Community in shelters for refugees: protection concept study of the German federal states uncovers massive deficiencies
An article entitled “Sofern besonderer Bedarf identifiziert wurde” (“If special needs have been identified”) recently published in the science magazine “Freiburger Zeitschrift für Geschlechterstudien” uncovers massive deficiencies affiliated to the protection of LGBTI refugees in the violence protection concepts of Germany’s federal states. Authors Alva Träbert and Patrick Dörr compared the states’ violence protection concepts that were available in March 2019 with the measures identified as “minimum standards” for the protection of LGBTI refugees on the federal level. First and foremost, it is striking that of the 16 states in charge of housing refugees, only nine even have such a concept for their state-run shelters. Not even a third of the measures described in the “minimum standards” for the protection of LGBTI refugees can be found – on average – in these concepts.
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Special new information for transgender refugees
In the asylum process and when it comes to refugee accommodations, transgender persons face particular challenges. Moreover, many transgender refugees want to go through a transition in Germany. Some have already started this undertaking in their home countries or during their escape, others want to start the journey in Germany. Thus, they are looking for reliable information. The website Queer Refugees Deutschland now offers a guide for transgender refugees and migrants. However, in reality, it is often extremely difficult for transgender persons who are going through the asylum process to receive the specific medical services they need. The LGBTI organization Schwulenberatung Berlin has published a related expertise, which focuses on the specific legal situation of transgender persons in the asylum process.
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LSVD publishes a practical guide aiming at the protection of LGBTI refugees in shelters
At shelters, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) refugees very often are the victims of violence. Hence, in refugee accomodation in Germany, they form a vulnerable group that requires special protection. Given their negative prior experiences in their original countries and the fear of violence at the shelter, most LGBTI refugees remain invisible at their housing facilities. As a consequence, their needs in terms of accommodations and support are frequently not taken into account. Given this situation, the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD), on the occasion of the networking event of the “Federal Initiative for the Protection of Refugees in Refugee Shelters” published the new guideline “Leitfaden für die Praxis – LSBTI*-sensibler Gewaltschutz für Geflüchtete.”
