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Multiple theories, including attachment, family systems, and epigenetics, among many others, have been invoked to explain the mechanisms through which trauma is transmitted from one generation to the next. To move toward integration of extant theories and, thus, acknowledgement of multiple pathways for transmission of trauma, the authors explore the potential of applying a culturally enhanced bioecological theory to transgenerational trauma (TGT). Data from in-depth qualitative interviews in Rwanda more than two decades after the genocide, with 44 mothers of children born of genocidal rape, and in-depth interviews and focus groups with a total of 60 youth born of genocidal rape, were analyzed according to the processes of culturally enhanced bioecological theory. The findings from a hybrid inductive and deductive thematic analysis suggest that a culturally enhanced bioecological theory of human development allows for an integrated, multi-dimensional analysis of individual, family, cultural, and societal factors of transmission of TGT. Some facets of the data, however, are not accounted for in the theory, specifically, how some mothers were able to create and sustain a positive bond with their children born of genocidal rape, despite societal and family pressure to abandon or abort them. Nonetheless, the findings demonstrate how a culturally enhanced bioecological theory can be an important overarching framework for developing policies and practices to help interrupt or mitigate TGT, strengthen resilience, and facilitate healing for children born of genocidal rape, their mothers, and their families.

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study combined data from an online survey with international social workers ( N = 44), and key informant qualitative interviews ( N = 6), to identify gaps and synergies between what is taught in graduate social work programmes and expected by employers. Findings suggested that although social work values align well with international social work, gaps exist between the macro knowledge and skills required for international work and that which graduate training offers. Findings further suggested that if unaddressed, these incompatibilities may contribute to the invisibility of social work as a viable training ground for practice in international aid agencies.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how migrants in South Africa identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or with other diverse sexual orientations or gender identities (LGBTQ+) describe and understand their pre-migration family experiences and how family and other social relationships facilitated strength during post-migration. We conducted six focus groups, consisting of both morning and afternoon sessions, which included a total of 30 LGBTQ+ migrants (ages 21–42). The following themes were identified using grounded theory: managing family responses during pre-migration: concealing, avoiding, disclosing; the power of (even) one: support during post-migration; “love is a very big thing”: drawing strength from chosen family; and “pulling myself up”: drawing strength from self-reliance. Findings demonstrate that many participants reported experiencing negative responses from family, but some continued to rely on family support after arriving in South Africa. Further, participants often depended on newfound friendships for support as well as their own internal resources. This self-reliance was facilitated in part by participants’ understanding that they could not depend on their families or other people because of the negative responses faced in their countries of origin. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.

Objectives: HIV prevalence among sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals in South Africa is among the highest in the world; however, SGM migrants, an especially vulnerable subgroup of both the...

Violence against sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals has continued to proliferate globally. Yet, less is known about victimization among subgroups of SGM individuals, especially SGM immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. There has been a steady increase in this vulnerable group of migrants over the years, and emerging evidence has pointed to their heightened risk of victimization. We conducted a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature that examined violence, abuse, and mental health among SGM individuals who migrate internationally. One hundred ninety-nine articles were identified by searching five scholarly databases and hand searching. Twenty-six articles met inclusion criteria. We first used the migration framework, which outlines the distinct phases of the migration trajectory (predeparture, travel, interception, destination, and return), to categorize findings and then identified four overarching themes to capture SGM migrants’ experiences at each phase: severe and prolonged violence and abuse related to sexual orientation or gender identity (predeparture); continued victimization and high-risk for sexual violence (travel); detainment- and deportation-related violence and abuse (interception and return); and new manifestations of violence and abuse while living with past trauma (destination). Violence and abuse began in childhood and continued in the host country, where they faced discrimination while managing posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. Findings indicate that SGM migrants are extremely vulnerable to victimization. There is an immediate need for policies to protect SGM individuals worldwide and for affirmative, culturally informed practices to help SGM migrants manage trauma and the structural barriers impeding recovery.

Over the years, research on immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers has been rooted in hetero- and cisnormative discourse that has not only rendered these individuals invisible but also led to a lack of understanding of what they need to successfully integrate into host societies. However, as significant numbers of sexual and gender minority (SGM) people continue to migrate from their countries of origin to various countries around the world, SGM migration can no longer be viewed as a niche area, but one that is placed front and center in migration studies and current discourse on immigration. To provide context for the articles, books, and chapters in this article, it is important to discuss the differences among the terms: immigrant, refugee, and asylum seeker. An immigrant is a broad term used to describe someone who permanently moves to a foreign country. A refugee refers to an individual who flees their country of origin due to persecution; however, refugees are vetted prior to entering the host country while waiting in a country of transit. For example, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees might vet SGM individuals in Turkey before sending them to Canada. An asylum seeker also flees their country of origin due to persecution but is vetted after entering the host country. For instance, an SGM individual may enter the United States on a student or tourist visa, but then decide to seek asylum because they fear returning to their country of origin. The other term that is commonly used is migrant, which refers to an individual who moves from one place to another, either temporarily or permanently, in search of better work opportunities or social conditions. While domestic migration does occur often, this review focuses specifically on international migrants (i.e., those who move to a foreign country). The term migrant is used interchangeably with immigrant, refugee, or asylum seeker. Although these categories are technically different, it can be hard to distinguish among these socially constructed categories, as the experiences of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers share many commonalities during the pre-migration, travel, and resettlement phases, as will be evidenced in the works discussed in this article.

This chapter aims to provide a critical review of the literature that addresses the ways in which sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) with migration experience navigate mental health issues. There has been a recent growth in public interest and scholarship in Canada and the United States about the realities of SGMs with migration experience. However, there are scholarly debates and tensions in relation to how key terms related to sexuality, gender, and migration have been mobilized within this field of knowledge. This chapter thus aims to map out the ways in which knowledge about SGMs with migration experience has been categorized through migrant status, race, and ethnicity. In addition, this chapter provides a synthesis of the latest research findings on the relationship between this population and mental health issues. This chapter also critically reflects on various policy and practice implications of these findings and considers future directions for content, theories, and methodologies of research about this population.

The psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on individuals, families, and communities will likely persist for years to come. While briefing notes informed by disaster psychology and crisis management have been released to guide social workers and other mental health professionals in their work during the pandemic, the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 may require inclusion of additional theories of trauma and resilience. Thus, this article first examines the application of complex trauma theory as an effective framework for assessing the psychosocial impacts of the pandemic, especially among individuals with prior trauma exposure, those with preexisting mental illness, and communities affected by marginalization and historical trauma. Authors then discuss the importance of using trauma-informed practice to address the effects of the pandemic on both individual and community levels during this unprecedented moment in history.

The European Union accepted more than one million refugees from Muslim-majority countries in 2015. However, Islamophobic social conditions have created numerous hardships as they attempt to integrate into European society. This situation may be especially challenging for refugees identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). They not only experience discrimination from multiple sources but also lack connections with their diaspora communities. This qualitative study examined the experiences of LGBTQ refugees who migrated from Islamic societies to Austria (n = 19) and the Netherlands (n = 19). We conducted semi-structured interviews to understand how they experienced integration. Additionally, we interviewed five LGBTQ refugee service providers to triangulate data and enrich findings. We identified the following themes: precarious livelihoods, the complexity of depending on others, still not free, and you’re Muslim; we don’t want you. Findings indicated that participants experienced uncertainty regarding the asylum process, including issues related to the Dublin Regulation. Although participants relied on host community members to ease integration, they also encountered discrimination based on race, religion, and immigration status. In Vienna, this discrimination was experienced as overt, whereas in Amsterdam, it was subtler. Participants also encountered discrimination based on their sexual and gender identity from other refugees, compromising their ability to receive services needed to facilitate integration. The article concludes with recommendations for promoting the integration of LGBTQ refugees into the European Union.

The 1994 Rwandan genocide was characterized by brutal acts of widespread sexual violence against women that, for some, led to unwanted pregnancy, childbirth, and motherhood. This study explores the perspectives and experiences of 44 Rwandan women with children born of genocidal rape through in-depth qualitative interviews. Emerging from the data are the themes of identity and belonging, ambivalence, and truth-telling in the mother–child relationship. Findings highlight the lasting and intergenerational legacy of genocidal rape, and practice and policy implications are discussed.

In recent years, trauma-informed practice has received increased attention in the social work literature. Although the adoption of trauma-informed practice is necessary for preparing social workers...

Researchers are beginning to document the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) forced migrants in settlement. However, studies exploring the perceptions of service providers working with this vulnerable population are limited. These may shed light on the challenges of meeting the needs of LGBT forced migrants, especially mental health issues and problems. This qualitative study elicited the views of 22 Canadian service providers, including advocates, lawyers and mental health practitioners, who serve LGBT forced migrants. Grounded theory analysis revealed the following four themes: facilitating safety, buffering rejection; tracking avoidance patterns; interpreting mental health; and negotiating identity paradigms. Participants' accounts suggest that LGBT forced migrants may be best served by providers who understand the exigencies of establishing trust and safety for their clients; recognise their clients' nuanced social support needs; facilitate the refugee claims process; grasp the complexity of their clients' mental health challenges; and interrogate their own cultural biases regarding sexual orientations and gender identities.

Despite the well-documented prevalence of rape as a strategy of war, little is known about the specific psychological consequences to children born of conflict-related sexual violence. The results of data analysis of 7 focus groups and 60 in-depth interviews with children born of genocidal rape in Rwanda indicated that they are carrying the trauma of their own stigmatization and marginalization, are burdened with their mothers' trauma, and, we conclude, symbolize unresolved collective trauma for the society. Analysis also reveals that healing for these young adults requires interpersonal and intrapersonal compassion and acceptance, a meaningful connection with a peer group, societal recognition, and empowerment to help contribute to and transform their lives and societies. Each of these pathways to healing—intrapersonal, interpersonal, and social—is contingent upon the other, and none can be considered in isolation. To support this largely invisible population striving to fulfill their potential, opportunities need to be created for self-acceptance and acceptance by mothers, families, and communities; sharing and building emotional and social bonds with their cohort group; formal recognition; official social rituals to validate their experiences and those of the mother–child dyad in the context of culture and community; and for socioeconomic opportunities to enable them to fully participate in building the future of Rwanda.

This exploratory study used grounded theory to understand the role of minority stress on the first-year experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning emerging adults attending a univ...

It is estimated that more than 200 million women alive today have undergone female genital cutting (FGC). While emerging evidence shows that attitudes toward FGC may evolve for immigrants as they acculturate to the host country, scant empirical research explores how women come to oppose the practice. This qualitative study used grounded theory methods to explore the trajectory of resistance to FGC for seven women circumcised in childhood who sought asylum in the United States as adults to protect their daughters from the practice. Participants originated from Burkina Faso, Guinea, The Gambia, and Chad. Analysis revealed nine themes tracing the evolution of resistance to FGC and other gender role norms for participants: coercion, threat, and retribution narratives; traumatic memories of circumcision; growing awareness of the personal implications of circumcision; emergence of critical thinking; trangressive thoughts and acts; navigating the consequences of resistance; everyday reinforcement; negoti...

Progress in analyzing and interpreting the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity in the context of refugee law has contributed to a rise in individuals seeking asylum in such countries as the United States and Canada. However, few studies have examined the victimization experiences of sexual- and gender-identity forced migrants prior to their arrival in North America. This qualitative study used thematic analysis to explore the premigration adult victimization experiences of 26 lesbian, gay, and transgender individuals who obtained refugee, asylee, or withholding-of-removal status in the United States or Canada based on persecution for their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Participants originated from countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Analysis revealed the following themes: living on the edge, adopting concealment strategies, routine victimization, and protectors as perpetrators. Participants described living in a constant state of hypervigilance, and they adopted numerous strategies to protect themselves from victimization. Despite the use of such strategies, participants experienced victimization by community members and state actors, leaving them no choice but to flee to ensure their safety and well-being. Findings are discussed using the ecological framework outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO). The discussion concludes with implications for international policy and clinical practice.

Research has shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children are likely to experience chronic victimization and that these experiences correlate with numerous mental health problems. However, there is little understanding of the abuse experiences of LGBT children living in countries where rights for sexual and gender minorities are limited or nonexistent. In this chapter, we explore the child abuse experiences that contribute to LGBT individuals’ decision to flee their countries of origin in search of protection. In addition, we examine the impact of these abuse experiences on their pre-migration mental health. We conducted 26 interviews with individuals who obtained refugee or asylee status in the United States or Canada on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Participants originated from countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. We identified the following themes: abuse by parents and caregivers, abuse by peers and school personnel, having nowhere to turn, and dealing with psychological distress. Findings demonstrate that participants experienced severe verbal, physical, and sexual abuse throughout childhood and adolescence and that this abuse occurred at home, in school, and in the community. Furthermore, there were no resources or sources of protection available to them. Participants linked their abuse to subjective experiences of depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress, as well as suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. We provide implications for clinical practice as well as international policies that protect the well-being of children.

Despite the rise in interest in international social work, surprisingly little empirical evidence exists outlining the knowledge, values, and skills required of social workers to succeed in the global arena. This qualitative study conducted from the spring through winter months of 2013 involved 10 semi-structured interviews with experienced international social workers triangulated with a content analysis of 52 international job postings. Findings suggest that social work professional perspectives including eco-systemic thinking, social justice principles, strength-based analyses, and foundational skills, such as developing empowering person-centered relationships, exhibiting cultural humility, implementing participatory approaches to research and practice, and demonstrating reflexivity, are not always valued by international colleagues nor sought in job advertisements. Furthermore, upon graduation, MSW social workers may lack key areas of expertise expected of international workers such as program monito...

In 2015, more than 600,000 individuals from Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan fled to Europe in search of protection. Among the most understudied of this population are individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). These individuals have not only fled war but also violence due to their sexual and/or gender identities. At the same time, LGBTQ individuals from other parts of the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and North Africa have also fled to Europe to escape persecution. The purpose of this multimethod study was to understand how traumatic stress shaped the experiences of 38 LGBTQ individuals who fled to Austria (n = 19) and the Netherlands (n = 19) from these regions. We assessed participants for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and conducted qualitative interviews to understand their migration experiences. Of the 37 participants assessed for PTSD, 33 (89.2%) reported that their most distressing event occurred prior to migration. For the 24 (64.9%) participants who met criteria for a provisional diagnosis of PTSD, 15 reported that the precipitating event was related to their sexual and/or gender identities and 9 reported that it was related to another type of event (e.g., war). Grounded theory was used to analyze qualitative data. Themes demonstrated that participants encountered targeted violence and abuse throughout migration and upon their arrival in Austria and the Netherlands. Findings indicate that LGBTQ refugees may be vulnerable to ongoing trauma from other refugees and immigration officials. Recommendations for protecting and supporting LGBTQ refugees during humanitarian emergencies are provided.

Since 1994, increasing numbers of persons are fleeing persecution based upon their nonconformity with traditional gender roles. This qualitative study explores the experiences of 14 men and women from Islamic societies persecuted in their countries for resisting gender-role norms and, ultimately, gaining asylum in the United States. Findings suggest that “gender role outlaws” in resettlement may be alienated from families and more traditional coethnic others by their alignment, or perceived alignment, with Western constructs, and may also be marginalized by mainstream communities. Ultimately, findings contrast with received knowledge that family and coethnic affiliation is possible and positive for Muslims in resettlement and point to the need for alternative sources of social support.

Numerous studies demonstrate that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) children and youth are likely to experience abuse by peers, parents, and other adults and that these experiences correlate with a host of mental health problems. However, there is little understanding of the experiences of LGBT children and youth living in countries where social and legal protections for sexual and gender minorities are limited or nonexistent. This qualitative study used thematic analysis to explore the child and adolescent abuse experiences and their impact on the pre-migration mental health of LGBT forced migrants. We analyzed 26 interviews with individuals who obtained refugee or asylee status in the United States or Canada on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Participants originated from countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Analysis revealed the following themes: abuse by parents and caregivers, abuse by peers and school personnel, having nowhere to turn, and dealing with psychological distress. Findings indicate that participants experienced severe verbal, physical, and sexual abuse throughout childhood and adolescence and that this abuse occurred at home, in school, and in the community. Furthermore, there were no resources or sources of protection available to them. Participants linked their abuse to subjective experiences of depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress, as well as suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. We conclude with implications for refugee adjudication practices, mental health care, and international policy.

with current psychological symptomology in a sample of YMSM aged 16-20. Methods: This study was comprised of 449 cases selected from a community-based, longitudinal sample of YMSM (N1⁄4450; aged 16-20) recruited through modified respondent-driven sampling. Participants completed computer-assisted self-interviews assessing retrospective counts of ESE incidents (trichotimized to 0, 1-4, and >5), recalled childhood gender expression (e.g., conforming vs. nonconforming), and current psychological symptom counts (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD, impulsivity, suicidality). Bivariate analyses were conducted between the measures of ESE, childhood gender expression, and mental health. Significant bivariate outcomes informed subsequent multivariable logistic regression models predicting the likelihood of psychological symptomology by ESE, and childhood gender expression. Results: Results indicated that ESE and childhood gender expression predict psychological symptoms in YMSM. The majority (53%) of the ethnically-diverse sample was African American (Latino1⁄4 20%, European American1⁄4 18%, Other1⁄4 9%), almost half the entire sample (46%) reported at least one ESE incident, and 25% of the sample reported childhood nonconformity. Compared with those not reporting ESE, YMSM reporting ESE were more likely to endorse psychological symptoms consistent with PTSD (p