What a refugee has seen

If you had been raped and submitted to sexual violence or torture; if you had seen your family taken away at gunpoint; if you had been forced to leave your country to avoid execution – how would you feel?

Image of eyes closed

Can you imagine what a refugee has seen?

They may have seen their families murdered in front of their eyes; they may have looked down the barrel of a gun or stared at the walls of a prison cell; they may have seen children with guns or looked into the despairing eyes of a starving baby...

They may have felt the blade of a knife against their skin or the bruising grip of the rapist’s hand; they may have experienced the agony of torture, the desperation to escape or the deep trauma of seeing lives destroyed; they may have felt the fear of death or the constant anxiety of not knowing what is going to happen next...

If you had seen and felt these things, how would you deal with it?

Their horrific experiences can cause debilitating reactions such as depression, anxiety, irrational fear, post-traumatic stress and suicidal thoughts. The emotional anguish can trigger nightmares, flashbacks, intense feelings of distress, headaches, irritability, stomach cramps, nausea...

Letter from the Project Coordinator

Elena Hage, Vulnerable Women's Project Co-ordinator, describes the importance of mental health services for refugees who have suffered severe trauma.

Refugee Stories

Many of the asylum seekers who come to Britain are fleeing torture and sexual abuse. The stories we've highlighted illustrate common experiences of many of the people we help.

How we help

Mental and emotional health issues can be treated in three ways: physical treatment, talking treatment and practical support.