Victim Narratives: experiences of victimization of unaccompanied migrant minors under protection system in Euskadi

• In Event: Rethinking Victimization Among the Most Marginalized

Abstract

The migration process of unaccompanied minors is marked by experiences of victimization at different stages of their journey. In their countries of origin, many face armed conflict, extreme poverty, socio-political instability and family breakdown. During transit, they are exposed to violence, exploitation and abuse in contexts of extreme vulnerability. Upon arrival in the destination country, they face dynamics of social exclusion, racism, discrimination and institutional violence that limit their opportunities for integration. Based on the analysis of victim narratives, this study explores the experiences of 51 unaccompanied migrant minors, most of them from the African continent, aged between 12 and 18, under guardianship in the Basque Autonomous Community (24 in Gipuzkoa, 19 in Alava and 8 in Bizkaia). The research seeks to make visible the different forms of victimization experienced by these minors and to provide knowledge for the development of prevention and protection strategies in the field of social intervention and public policies.

Author

• Ane Viana Salinas, UPV-EHU