• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • Who We Are
    • Our Projects
    • Public Speaking
    • Media & Press
    • Testimonials
    • The Science of Empathy
    • Stigma and Mental Health
  • Listen
    • Online Platforms
    • YouTube
  • Education
  • Donate
  • Home
  • Log in

Safe Space Radio

The show about subjects we'd struggle with less if we could talk about them more.

  • Mental Health
    • Bad Mother Anxiety
    • Depression in the Workplace
    • Eating Disorders
    • Facing Fear
    • Feelings of Failure
    • Homophobia
    • LGBTQ Teens
    • Living With Anxiety
    • Living with Dementia in the Family
    • Living with Life Threatening Illness
    • Living with Mental Illness
    • Mental Illness in the Family
    • Medical Trauma
    • Parenting Kids on the Spectrum
    • PTSD Among Women Veterans
    • Refugee Women
    • Substance Abuse in Families
    • Suicide
    • Transgender Issues
    • Trauma
    • Writing as a Way to Heal
    • Yoga and Mental Illness
  • Social Justice
    • Child Abuse
    • Homophobia
    • LGBTQ Teens
    • Life After Incarceration
    • Maine Wabanaki TRC
    • PTSD Among Women Veterans
    • Race and White Privilege
    • Refugee Women
    • Somali Refugees in Maine
    • Transgender Issues
    • Violence Against Women
  • Family
    • Bad Mother Anxiety
    • Contemporary Families
    • Living with Dementia in the Family
    • Living with Life Threatening Illness
    • Parenting Kids on the Spectrum
    • Sibling Conflicts
    • Substance Abuse in Families
  • Emotions
    • Bad Mother Anxiety
    • Child Abuse
    • Facing Fear
    • Feelings of Failure
    • Living With Anxiety
    • Living with Life Threatening Illness
    • Shame
    • Stories of Hidden Emotions
    • Talking About Difficult Subjects
    • Writing as a Way to Heal
  • Sexuality
    • Female Sexual Difficulties
    • Men’s Sexual Difficulties
    • Recovery from Sexual Trauma
  • Conflict
    • Child Abuse
    • Life After Incarceration
    • Maine Wabanaki TRC
    • PTSD Among Women Veterans
    • Refugee Women
    • Somali Refugees in Maine
    • Talking About Difficult Subjects
    • Trauma
    • Violence Against Women
  • Log in

The Experience of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers

The Experience of Refugees and Asylum-Seekers

Listen Download

 Questions

Learning objectives:

  • Be able to describe the differences between refugees and asylum seekers and the steps these individuals take before settling in the United States.
  • Understand the degree to which gender-based violence affects women refugees and asylees.
  • Learn more about how the interviews required of both refugees and asylees inherently require re-experiencing of traumatic events.
  • Identify how the United Nations Security Council has addressed the issue of gender-based violence.

Abstract:

This show explores the unique challenges that refugees and asylum seekers face. We focus on the experiences of women who have re-settled in Maine as a case study of the resettlement process throughout the U.S. We explain the technical aspects of being a refugee or asylee and the difficult process that these individuals have to go through in order to be granted a new home. Expert accounts frame two deeply personal and inspiring stories of persecution, trauma, courage, resilience, and hope.

Outline

  • [1:00] Lawyer Phil Mantis on the differences between refugees and asylum seekers in terms of getting to the U.S and the legal process once here.
  • [9:25] Taysier Elshaikh on the experience of coming to the U.S. as a refugee from Sudan.
  • [25:15] Alice Barakagwira on the experience of seeking asylum.
  • [44:02] Professor Cynthia Enloe on the impact of militarization on women’s lives, and how sexual violence can be a repressive political tool and a weapon of war.

Full Interviews Featured in this Episode

Navigating the Asylum Process
Phil Mantis

Fleeing Persecution
Taysier Elshaikh

Speaking Up for Asylum
Alice Barakagwira

Women in Wartime
Cynthia Enloe

Discussion questions:

  • Can you imagine a more ideal environment or procedure for individuals to share their stories of persecution instead of a standardized immigration interview?
  • What was your response to Alice’s statement that every woman she’s worked with has experienced sexual violence?
  • There is often concern about how well refugees are vetted prior to coming to the United States. How did this podcast affect your understanding of this process?
  • In this show we focused primarily on the experiences of women refugees and asylees. What do you think might be some unique challenges that men refugees and asylees face?

Links to additional resources:

Centers for Disease Control: Refugee Health
CDC information on immigrant and refugee health

The Womens Refugee Commission

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Migration Policy Institute
Statistics about immigrants and immigration in the United States

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000)
Read the full text of Resolution 1325 here on women, peace, and security

UN Refugee Agency Q&A
UN Refugee Agency common questions and answers about refugees

World Health Organization: Migrant Health
WHO information on refugee and migrant health

Articles:

“Asylum or Refugee Status: Who Is Eligible?” Ilona Bray
From NOLO’s DIY legal guides

 Proceed to Questions

Footer

Stay in Touch

Mailchimp Signup

Generously supported by:

  • The Annie E. Casey Foundation
  • The Lucy R. Sprague Charisma Fund
  • The Equity Fund
  • The Fleming Family Foundation
  • The Hope and Grace Fund
  • Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation
  • The Lerner Foundation
  • The Matthewson Foundation
  • The Pinkerton Foundation
  • The Pink House Foundation
  • The Rines Thompson Fund
  • The Sam L. Cohen Foundation

We Can Talk About it!

Thank you for joining us in this work to advance the health of our communities, our families, and ourselves. Safe Space Radio is a federally classified, tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization.

WE SO APPRECIATE YOUR DONATION!

contact us

Safe Space Radio
22 Free St. Suite 402
Portland, ME 04101

207-651-6412
info@safespaceradio.com

fb

We gratefully acknowledge that the images on this website are used by permission from photographers on Unsplash.

Copyright © 2023 Safe Space Radio. All Rights Reserved. • Website by DesignME Creative Group

Privacy Policy • Terms of Use

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Privacy Policy • Terms of Use
Cookie settingsACCEPT REJECT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

Safe Space Radio is committed to protecting your privacy when you visit our website (the “Site”).  Our Privacy Policy explains the type of information we may collect from you, and how we use it and safeguard it.  This Policy is governed by and should be read in conjunction with the Safe Space Radio Terms of Use.

We use any personal data we may collect from you to provide and improve our podcasts and other offerings.  By using the Site, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT