Female refugees: the most vulnerable of the vulnerable, according to the theory of social reproduction

Abstract

Discrimination against female refugees, the majority of the world’s displaced people, encompasses multiple dimensions not often considered by institutions addressing the issue in host countries, such as sexual, cultural, and psychological violence. This article is based on non-systematic bibliographic research, statistical analysis, descriptive data, and documentary research. The aim is to explore academic literature and official data to identify the multiple dimensions and forms of violence that must be considered when developing public policies for women seeking refuge in Brazil. The results based on the theory of social reproduction allowed us to explain the phenomenon of feminization of forced migrations and indicate the variables socioeconomic vulnerabilities and psycho-emotional weaknesses, sexual violence, motherhood, and territoriality as dimensions that can support future elaborations in terms of public service policies for female refugees in Brazil.