Violation and hope- the lived experience of refugee survival in childhood and beyond

Refugees experience multiple potentially traumatic events including conflict and human rights deprivations in their country of origin, perilous escape journeys, and isolation and discrimination in their new host country. The impact of these complex traumatic events on refugee children is a growing area of research. Therefore, this idiographic study explored the positive and negative interpretations of four adults reflecting on their experience of refugee status as children. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) guided data collection, through semi-structured interviews, and analysis. One theme: The violation and hope of refugee survival, overarched three subordinate themes: Violent detachment, Developing the refugee identity and Resourcefulness and reciprocity. One divergent theme emerged: Clashing cultural identities. These themes reflect the unique interpretations of former refugee children, abruptly forced to escape from oppression and persecution in their country of origin as children. As refugees, belonging nowhere, they became pawns in human opportunism without human rights protection. Survival was not guaranteed, producing a stark merging of acceptance of mortality and determined resourcefulness, even as children. Avoidant coping strategies were utilised as positive tools for surviving traumatic distress and constant threat. Additionally, avoidant coping became crucial in defining a life philosophy that was future oriented as adults. They rejected a ‘refugee victim’ identity, emphasising a legacy of resourcefulness, hope, gratitude and reciprocity. Posttraumatic growth from the horror of experiences as a refugee child was facilitated by a conscious commitment to future generations and an optimistic attitude towards the future. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.