An Exploration of the Pre- and Post-Migration Experiences of LGBT Refugees and Asylees

Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) forced migrants are a particularly vulnerable subset of an inherently vulnerable refugee population. However, no empirical studies have explored the effects of victimization on the their mental health and resettlement. This qualitative study fills a gap in the literature by exploring the pre- and post-migration experiences of LGBT forced migrants who have obtained refugee/asylee status in the United States or Canada. Increased knowledge and understanding of the experiences of LGBT forced migrants is critical because this population is rapidly growing (ORAM, 2012).

Methods: We recruited 26 participants who obtained refugee/asylee status in the United States (n=16) or Canada (n=10) on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Participants originated from Russia, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Latin America and ranged in age from 21-49. Twenty participants identified as gay, two as lesbian, two as transmale, and two as transfemale. Ten participants identified as Black, ten as White, three as Hispanic/Latino, two as Asian, and one as multi-racial. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants from community and social service organizations. To participate, individuals had to be at least 18-years-old and had to have official refugee/asylee status for at least one month. The life history interview, which lasted 75-120 minutes, explored lifetime experiences of victimization, resettlement challenges, and self-reported mental health problems. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was analyzed using the phenomenological method (Moustakas, 1994). We (three authors) independently coded each interview and then convened to reach consensus and transform codes into units of meaning. Comparing and contrasting meaning units across all interviews resulted in a synthesis. To enhance methodological rigor, we bracketed individual biases and assumptions throughout the analysis, identified negative cases, and maintained an audit trail.

Results: Two pre-migration themes emerged: Struggling to Survive and Nowhere to Turn. Participants experienced multiple traumatic events including physical and sexual assault, threats and violence toward family members, corrective rape, and severe verbal abuse. Participants who sought help from teachers, police, or relatives frequently suffered further victimization or were blamed. Two post-migration themes also emerged: Broken and Broke and Alone, Lonely, and Uncertain. Upon arrival to the host country participants reported depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Participants had difficulty finding housing and struggled financially, and the process of seeking asylum was also lengthy. The majority of participants struggled to connect with other LGBT individuals or meet new people. Participants experienced discrimination based on their immigration status, and sexual prejudice by members of their racial/ethnic community, further complicating their resettlement.

Conclusions: Findings revealed that LGBT forced migrants experience numerous pre- and post-migration stressors that have serious effects on their mental health and resettlement. Participants experienced difficulties accessing financial, legal, and social support, which exacerbated feelings of isolation, futility, and hopelessness. Moreover, they lacked many of the protective factors shown to mitigate the effects of trauma in the general refugee population (Birman & Tran, 2008). We discuss practice and policy implications for easing the resettlement of LGBT forced migrants.