Ohonba and Salter, ‘The Mechanisms for Trauma in LGBT Asylum-Seekers coming to North America’, 2017
- Category: Reports
- Source: Academic
- Subject: Sexual Orientation/Sexuality, Gender Identity, Refugee/Asylum
- Place: Americas
- Year: 2017
- File: Full_Report_on_the_Mechanisms_of_Trauma
- URL: https://www.academia.edu/33279801/Full_Report_on_the_Mechanisms_of_Trauma_for_LGBT_Asylum-_Seekers_coming_to_North_America?email_work_card=title
Esosa Ohonba and Cynthia Salter, ‘The Mechanisms for Trauma in LGBT Asylum-Seekers coming to North America’, Special Topics in Global Health Final Paper, 4/13/17
Abstract
The unique dual minority status of LGBT Refugees makes them especially susceptible to the mental health disorders of PTSD and Depression. Following a primary-source literature review, NGO landscape analysis, and asylum policy analysis, a mechanism came forward beyond the synergistic pre-flight, flight, post-flight mechanism of social isolation, abuse, and violence. The process of applying for asylum itself can create new trauma through the untrained exploration of asylum adjudicators in both Canada and America. We recommend changes to the policy and process to be more inclusive of LGBTQ identities, implement positive community building programs like social support groups, and strengthening the overall network between refugee services and mental health services through training and cultural competency.