Abstract

While all women from refugee backgrounds confront significant risk and adversity, those women who are in danger of gender-related abuse and who lack adequate protection by male family members (referred to here as women-at-risk) are at heightened risk. This study, informed by a meaning-making stance privileging wellbeing and transformation, explores the lived experience of women-at-risk by explicating narratives of 15 women from Africa and Afghanistan, who arrived in Australia in the preceding 5 years. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: experience of loss, transformative renewal, and experience of connection. Findings have implications regarding the importance of intervention models, which take into account the psychological, social, and religious needs of women-at-risk. Specifically, successful resettlement may be facilitated by acknowledging and responding to women’s multiple losses and need for connection. Such processes have capacity to contribute to self-directed recovery and transformative renewal.

摘要

虽然所有来自难民背景的妇女都面临着重大的风险和逆境，但那些面临与性别有关的虐待危险且缺乏男性家庭成员（此处称为处于危险中的妇女）充分保护的妇女面临更高的风险。这项研究以赋予幸福和转变特权的有意义的立场提供信息，通过解释来自非洲和阿富汗的 15 名妇女在过去 5 年抵达澳大利亚的叙述，探索了处于危险中的妇女的生活经历。主题分析揭示了三个主题：失落的体验、变革性的更新和联系的体验。研究结果对干预模式的重要性有影响，这些模式考虑了高危女性的心理、社会和宗教需求。具体来说，通过承认和应对妇女的多重损失和联系需求，可以促进成功的重新安置。这些进程有能力促进自我导向的恢复和变革性更新。