Re-working the system together: co-developing a service model with forced migrants in Sweden with experience of sexual and gender-based violence

Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a widespread problem that can affect individuals from all societal groups, but some groups are in a particularly vulnerable position. One such group is forced migrants, due to circumstances such as financial difficulties, unprotected legal status and absence of social support.

If untreated, experiences of SGBV can have several detrimental consequences, and can even lead to death. It is internationally recognised that current service provision is failing forced migrants. This project aims to improve forced migrants’ access to support for experiences of SGBV, thereby reducing the risk of detrimental consequences. The first part of the project focuses on identifying the self- and professional support needs of forced migrants who have experienced SGBV and mapping how current service provision aligns with these needs. The findings will inform the development of a new service model, which will undergo validation and feasibility testing. Both mapping of current service provision and the development of the service model will be done in collaboration with service providers from relevant services and service user representatives, i.e. people with own experiences of forced migration and SGBV.

The project builds on the research conducted within the international SEREDA research project and is co-financed by the research centre WOMHER.

Involved in the project are associate professor Georgina Warner, professor Anna Sarkadi, professor Hannah Bradby, dr Selin Akyüz, PhD student Anna Pérez Aronsson and a team of service user representatives.

Kontakt

Please contact PhD student Anna Pérez Aronsson for more information about the research project.