Domestic violence prevalent among Iraqi refugees in Jordan

A report conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) found that economic instability and societal pressures have caused an increase in domestic violence among Iraqi refugees in Jordan, the United Nations’ IRIN news agency reported Tuesday.

Fifteen percent of women interviewed in female-only study groups reported an increase in household violence. “The fact that most men are forced to stay at home due to the lack of jobs, and the lack of social interaction among the refugees, has heightened tension in households,” the study reported.

Over half a million refugees have sought shelter in Jordan since the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq. As the war continues, refugees have found their funds depleted because of the scarcity of jobs. According to a recent study by the Norway-based FAFO Institute for Applied International Studies, only about 22 percent of Iraqi adults in Jordan work; the rest are jobless.

Activists in Jordan have opened their doors to women Iraqi refugees who are victims of domestic violence, in an effort to provide a safe haven for affected family members.

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