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Carolina Bråhn
Linköping University
Presenter
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Hongru Zhai
Barnafrid, National centre for knowledge concerning violence against children, Linköping University
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Isabel Lindbom
Barnafrid, National centre for knowledge concerning violence against children, Linköping University
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Johan Andersson
Barnafrid, Linköping University
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Laura Korhonen
Linköping University, Sweden
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Abstract
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Refugee children represent approximately 40% of all forcibly displaced people worldwide. Exposure to violence in countries of origin and during the migration journey is well documented, but less is known about its continuation in resettlement countries. For example, there is a lack of studies on violence in public places.
This study aimed to pilot a questionnaire on violence in public places, designed using a participatory approach. 79 young adults with an unaccompanied refugee background (mean age 21.4, 51.8% male) and 107 Swedish-born peers (mean age 21.5, 50.5% male) were recruited to the study. A Mann-Whitney U-test was applied to detect significant differences between refugees and Swedish-born. Qualitative data (e.g. comments and free-text questions) was analyzed using the content analysis method.
Most participants across both study groups reported never or seldom being exposed to violence in a public place in Sweden (89.9% refugees, 93.4% Swedish-born), also being publicly offended were relatively uncommon (21.2% vs. 14.9%). However, more participants with refugee background than Swedish-born reported more frequently staying in unsafe areas (32.9% vs. 11.2%; OR 4.341) and feeling more restricted in their everyday life due to violence or risk of violence (6.6% vs. 3.8%; OR 2.365). In the open questions, respondents proposed better surveillance, reduced online violence, and more adult presence and engagement to provide safer public places.
This suggests that although experiences of community violence in Sweden are relatively rare, the lack of feeling safe and restricted among young adults with refugee background are a concern to be tackled.
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