Narratives of Women-at-Risk Resettled in Australia: Loss, Renewal and Connection

Abstract

While all women from refugee backgrounds confront significant risk and adversity, those women who are in danger of gender-related abuse and who lack adequate protection by male family members (referred to here as women-at-risk) are at heightened risk. This study, informed by a meaning-making stance privileging wellbeing and transformation, explores the lived experience of women-at-risk by explicating narratives of 15 women from Africa and Afghanistan, who arrived in Australia in the preceding 5 years. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: experience of loss, transformative renewal, and experience of connection. Findings have implications regarding the importance of intervention models, which take into account the psychological, social, and religious needs of women-at-risk. Specifically, successful resettlement may be facilitated by acknowledging and responding to women’s multiple losses and need for connection. Such processes have capacity to contribute to self-directed recovery and transformative renewal.

Keywords:

• Refugees
• women-at-risk
• trauma
• loss
• qualitative

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the significant contribution of research participants, and staff from ACCESS Community Services.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marie-Louise Carmody

Marie-Louise Carmody graduated from the Clinical Psychology program, Queensland University of Technology, Australia and is now practicing as a registered Psychologist. Her research interests include trauma and mental health.

Robert D. Schweitzer

Robert D. Schweitzer is engaged in research including refugee well-being, psychotherapy process and outcome, and the application of phenomenology in psychological research.

Lyn Vromans

Lyn Vromans PhD (Psychology) is a clinical psychologist with research interests addressing narrative therapeutic approaches, loss, refugee wellbeing and mental health.

Luana La Marca

Luana La Marca PhD is an Honorary Fellow in psychodynamic psychology at Kore University of Enna, Sicily, Italy. Her research interests include the clinical applications of attachment theory, the impact of trauma on mental health.