Social and Political Justice for Forced Migrant Women from the Northern Triangle of Central America: Violence, Economic Oppression, and Trauma

For decades, wars, natural disasters, guerrilla warfare, gangs, drug cartels, and extreme poverty, have been present in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Many of the inhabitants have witnessed or have become victims to violence perpetrated by the military, drug cartels, guerrillas, police, gangs, and other entities. For many, especially those with little or no economic resources find that in order to survive they must leave their country and travel to the U.S., where political and social violence has not engulfed the country’s wellbeing, and jobs are plenty full. Given its geographic location, Mexico is the gateway for migration from the northern triangle of Central America to the U.S. when traveling by land; however, the passage through Mexico has become more dangerous in the past decades.

The trauma experienced due to violence in the country of origin and the decision to migrate have been directly associated with negative psychological conditions. This trauma can be seen in the context of narratives from Central Americans facing war and political oppression. In trauma theory the concept of compounding stressors is an important framework for understanding aspects of human development, especially among low socioeconomic and oppressed populations. The compounding effects of trauma resulting from direct and indirect political and social violence in the country of origin, the decision to migrate leaving family and friends behind, the violence experienced during the migratory journey through Mexico, and the final crossing into the United States, are all common factors found among forced migrant women from the Northern Triangle of Central America.

This study explored the age at the time of migration, level of education, and country of origin had an impact in the current mental health of forced migrant women that are currently living in the United States.

Interviews with 108 women ages 18 to 65 from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras residing in the U.S., who migrated from the northern triangle of Central America and traveled by land across Mexico, before entering the U.S. The interviews conducted using a survey instrument designed to capture demographic information and types of violence experienced in the home country and during the migratory journey; and standardized screening tools to measure current symptoms of trauma, depression, and generalized anxiety.

A hierarchical regression model for trauma was entered in the following order: (1) demographics, (2) violence, and (3) anxiety and depression . Violence was found to be a significant predictor for trauma, and trauma was a predictor of depression, generalized anxiety, and PTSD.

Findings suggest that having experienced violence in the country of origin and through the migratory journey had a powerful role in predicting trauma symptoms among immigrant women from the northern triangle of Central America. They also suggest that those with higher education and younger are more prone to have trauma related symptoms. The results of this study suggest the value of therapy to lowering trauma symptoms among migrant women that have experienced violence in their country of origin and during the migratory journey.