New study on accessibility of gender-based violence support services for forcibly displaced and stateless people in Estonia

The 2024 research study Assessment of the existing referral pathways for forcibly displaced and stateless people who have experienced gender-based violence (GBV) in Estonia assesses the accessibility, coordination, and effectiveness of support services for forcibly displaced and stateless persons who have experienced GBV, including sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA). Using an exploratory case study approach, the research combines legal and policy review, desk analysis, and interviews with stakeholders and forcibly displaced people. The study identifies key barriers to access the GBV support services, such as language limitations, cultural misunderstandings, institutional mistrust, and low awareness of rights. While referral pathways are in place, fragmentation and limited inter-agency coordination reduce their effectiveness. The findings inform recommendations to improve multilingual access, strengthen survivor-centred and trauma-informed care, enhance inter-institutional cooperation, and implement targeted awareness campaigns and monitoring mechanisms to improve GBV support systems in Estonia. The study was conducted by Prof. Lehte Roots and Dr. Melita Sogomonjan.

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