Offering a roof and a hot meal to migrants arriving on our coasts does not mean welcoming them. Or rather it is not enough. It is often women who are the victims of this dysfunctional form of welcome". This is the damning assessment of the worrying situation in Italy's immigration detention centres and asylum seeker centres given by the non-profit organisation Borderline Sicilia during the event entitled "Migrant women in the Mediterranean", which has been organised by the maritime office to co-incide with International Women's Day. The meeting is being attended by the anti-racism Forum and immigration experts.
"In 2001, 60,000 migrants arrived in Sicily, a number compared to other parts of the world is not high," explained the founder of Borderline Sicilia, Judith Gleitze. "Last year, the management of welcoming was disastrous. The migrants were relocated to bed and breakfast or to asylum seeker centres. The Mineo centre, for example, took in between 1,300 and 1,600 people who were left to their own devices and without future prospects. Women and unaccompanied minors find themselves at the end of this chain, which does not work".
"In some cases, the women are victims of sexual abuse and exploitation and, without support or prospects, they leave the centres to look for clients and prostitute themselves," added the psychologist and cultural mediator, Abraha Yodit. "This phenomenon has been noted but we are not yet able to say whether or not we are dealing with a real trade or if they are isolated incidents. Individual integration courses are needed".Ansa
