Violence and trauma encountered by Rohingya women fleeing to Malaysia: a qualitative study.

Rohingya women are doubly marginalized owing to their ethnicity and gender. Therefore, this study aims to describe the unique experiences of violence faced by Rohingya women who fled Myanmar and Bangladesh to seek asylum in Malaysia before, during, and after their transit. Primary data were collected from 33 participants comprising Rohingya women refugees and asylum seekers, medical social workers, medical officials, volunteer workers/activists, refugee organization officers, and a mental health care provider. Thematic analysis was used to identify the patterns in and relationships between the concepts in the collected data. Rohingya women were exposed to various forms of violence and trauma by various groups of men, including those from their own community, throughout their journey to and in Malaysia. The lack of recognition of refugees and asylum seekers in Malaysia prevents them from having mainstream or legal access to jobs, education, and healthcare, and this predicament compounds their suffering from violence, especially for women and girls. Rohingya women and girls in Malaysia need better access to healthcare, resources, and support to identify and address violence, which has a significant impact on their health.

Refugee and Asylum Seeker Women's Experiences with Healthcare and Social Environment in Malaysia.

The internal conflict in Rakhine State, Myanmar over the last few decades has forced Rohingyas to flee to other countries, including Malaysia. However, the non-recognition of the status of refugees in Malaysia keeps Rohingyas as "people without documents" and without adequate protection, access to healthcare services, education, and employment. Women among these groups face different challenges and are at risk of numerous physical and mental health issues. Thus, this research attempted to understand the experiences of Rohingya women in Malaysia, particularly in accessing public hospitals. Focus group discussions and key-informant interview techniques were used to collect data. The transcripts were then analysed using the thematic analysis method. The research found that Rohingya women experience numerous challenges despite being on safer ground in Malaysia. Their experiences of marriage and domestic violence, access to public hospitals, financial barriers to healthcare services, and the services provided by medical social workers in the country to refugees and asylum seekers are presented. Non-recognition of the status of refugees in the country is one of the primary barriers to the allocation and provision of resources for refugees and asylum seekers. Due to structural barriers, medical social workers are unable to provide their services to this population. This article provides recommendations for social workers in Malaysia on how to overcome these challenges and work more effectively with refugees and asylum seekers.