Travelling with “Excess Baggage”: Health Problems of Refugee Women in Western Australia

SUMMARY

Refugee women face problems during resettlement in host countries that are often worse than those faced by voluntary migrants. Although these problems are generally thought to be related to previous traumatic experiences, this may not always be the case; there are many refugee women who may not have personally experienced torture or trauma but who nonetheless express needs that suggest a perception of profound marginalisation from the mainstream society. This paper summarises the health problems identified in a needs assessment of refugee women from Latin America resident in Perth, Western Australia and discusses some of the issues that create “excess baggage” for refugee women.