At the Intersection between Gender-Based Violence and Migration: Migrant Women Resistance Against Institutional Violence(s) in Spain
While violence is a common thread in most migration journeys, research shows that women are disproportionately affected by the intersection of migration, violence, and insecurity. Much of the existing literature has focused on the violence experienced by women in their countries of origin—often in the context of war or political upheaval—and during the multiple border crossings they endure. Less attention has been paid to the various forms of violence that manifest once these women reach Europe.
This paper uses Spain as a case study to explore how institutional barriers exacerbate insecurities for migrant women and examines the ways in which they resist these forms of violence through activism and political participation.
I start the discussion highlighting how Spain’s migration and asylum systems fail to adequately address the specific vulnerabilities of migrant women, underlining the insufficient employment of gender-sensitive tools in reception and asylum processes, as well as the lack of an intersectional approach in policies addressing migrant women needs.
In parallel, the paper assesses the limitations of Spanish policies targeting GBV. While acknowledging some improvements, I emphasize that migrant women’s experiences and vulnerabilities remain underrepresented in Spanish law and policy. The intersection between gender-based violence and migration issues results in a form of intersectional discrimination that involves the persistent invisibility of migrant women’s needs, their limited access to justice, protection and inclusion.
In response, the paper focuses on the activism of migrant and racialized women in Spain, analyzing how they confront violence and challenge the state’s failure to provide them adequate support and protection.