Human rights organizations say women and girls seeking asylum in Greece are “vulnerable to violence, exploitation and sexual harassment from the moment they leave Iraq and Syria to their arrival on European soil.” Many female refugees have no real privacy or security, nor do they have access to segregated living quarters or single sex bathrooms as recommended by the European Union. Some women have also complained about exploitation and violence perpetrated by Greek police officers, which makes it harder for victims to seek help. Rights groups are concerned that the problem will only get worse, as the percentage of women and girls fleeing violence in the middle east has grown to more than 55% of migrants entering Greece as of early 2017.
Compiled from: Bowler, Natasha, Female asylum seekers in Greece face sexual harassment, assault, Reuters (August 5, 2016).