From the Brink of Survival to “Become the Person That They Want to Become”: Gender Minimization, Refugee Trauma, and Growth in Women From Afghanistan

There is a paucity of research highlighting the impact of trauma on women from refugee backgrounds despite the likelihood that many experience gender-related traumatic events on their often-protracted journey from their country of origin to postsettlement. Conversely, research indicates that despite distress, growth out of such adversity is possible. Therefore, this idiographic study explored the subjective lived experiences, both positive and negative, of six Muslim women from Afghanistan, who resettled in Australia for over a decade following refugee status. Semistructured interviews provided in-depth data which were analyzed according to the protocols of interpretative phenomenological analysis. One overarching superordinate theme: From the brink of survival to becoming the person that they want to become, represented three subordinate themes: complex overwhelm, prejudice and gender minimization, and recovery, growth, and giving back. The thematic findings reflect the participants’ transition through an array of complex and gender-specific traumatic events both within their country of origin, and the refugee journey. Recovery postsettlement came from empowering oneself through seeking help, mentoring other women from refugee backgrounds, and engaging with the host society. These participants previously constrained by social contexts, misogynous, and patriarchal umbrellas slowly dismantled limitations to their life purpose as they learned of opportunities and passed this knowledge on to others, embraced communal adaption, and offered reciprocal growth. Finally, this study highlights potential gender-specific traumas throughout the refugee journey for women and girls, and the need for specific delivery of services from program providers to this vulnerable group.