Call for Papers: They are here too: Experiences of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) among migrants in Europe

In 2020, 48 percent (134.9 million) of all international migrants worldwide were  women or girls, according to mid-2020 UN estimates. 1 in 3 women (approx. 736  million) worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an  intimate partner or non-partner in their lifetime (WHO 2021). This means that  statistically, 44.97 million transnational migrant women have faced IPV. This  estimate is consistent with a meta analysis of ~26,000 migrants which found  prevalence of physical violence at around 30.9% overall (Ines et al. 2024).  Migration has always been seen as a potential escape for survivors of domestic  abuse, a chance to live life beyond the control of their abuser. From pre-migration  vulnerabilities to violence at borders, in asylum systems, and within host societies,  the experiences of migrant and displaced communities remain underexamined in  both scholarship and policy. Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence  (DSGBV) intersects with race, class, religion, sexuality, and legal status, creating  complex challenges for justice, protection, and solidarity. 

This interdisciplinary conference aims to bring together researchers, frontline  practitioners, community advocates, and migrant voices to critically examine the  connections between migration and DSGBV in Europe. We welcome not only  academic papers but also research-informed discussions, workshops, storytelling  formats, and grounded contributions based on practical experience or community  engagement. 

The event will also feature the presentation and discussion of findings from the  four-year IRC-SFI funded project “They are Here Too: Gendered Violence in  the South Asian Immigrant Community in Post-COVID Ireland”, which  explores gender-based violence and South Asian communities in Ireland through  an intersectional and collaborative lens. 

We invite submissions on themes including but not limited to: 

● Gendered and racialized border violence 

● GBV in asylum systems, refugee camps, and detention 

● Law, policy, and the contested politics of “protection” 

● Barriers to support services and shelters for migrant women 

● Colonial legacies and the racialization of vulnerability 

● Queer and trans experiences of migration and violence 

● Community-based and grassroots responses to GBV 

● Ethical and creative methodologies in researching violence and migration 

We strongly encourage submissions from practitioners, advocates, and  members of migrant communities. Contributions can take the form of papers,  panels, roundtables, workshops, or other formats—academic or practice-based. 

Submission Guidelines 

Please submit a 250-word abstract or proposal (including format) and a short bio  (max 100 words) to arpita.chakraborty@dcu.ie by 30 November 2025. Notification  of acceptance will be sent by 10 December 2025. 

For questions, accessibility concerns, or informal inquiries, please contact Dr  Fabrizio Leonardo Cuccu at fabrizioleonardo.cuccu@dcu.ie.