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Abstract
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The number of refugees has reached unprecedented levels with approximately 24.6 million people fleeing persecution, including war and other forms of organized violence [1]. Refugees escaping war face horror prior, during, and following their migration journey due to violence, malnutrition, imprisonment, sexual violence, torture, loss of property and livelihood, separation or death of loved ones, and resettlement stress [2, 3]. Overwhelming research has shown that war-related trauma and refugees' stress are associated with increased rates of both physical and mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, psychosis, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease [4, 5].
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, leading the United Nations High Commissioner's Refugee Council (UNHRC) to declare a Level 3 state of emergency (highest level) [6]. The conflict thus far has resulted in the destruction of infrastructure, thousands of casualties, and a high volume of displaced individuals over a record period [6]. As of April 4, 2022, about 4.2 million refugees have fled Ukraine) [6]. Moreover, 12 million Ukrainians (around 30% of the national population) are projected to need humanitarian assistance in 2022 [6]. Ukrainian refugees are primarily fleeing to Poland (2,469,657), Romania (648,410), Republic of Moldova (396,448), Hungary (394,728), Slovakia (301,405), other European countries, but also the Russian Federation (350,632) and Belarus (15,281) [6]. With this flood of refugees, difficulties crossing borders have been observed and People of Color (POC) have been particularly affected due to their skin color and ethnic origin in a way that can aggravate traumas related to the war they have experienced [7].
The war in Ukraine has shed light on multiple forms of racism--the belief that certain people are inferior because of their skin color [8]. First, journalists, political commentators, politicians, and a large part of the public have alluded that European (i.e., White) people deserve more dignity and respect than POC [9]. War in a European country has come as a surprise to many reporters, with some stating that it is not a "third-world nation." "Other reporters expressed that "we are not in Middle East or Africa" and commented that Ukrainian refugees are "civilized," from the "middle-class," like "any European family," and deserve life because they have "blue eyes and blond hair." Through such statements, Westerners trivialize violence in other countries and against POC [10]. Second, racism also permeates at the borders between Ukraine and neighboring countries [7]. POC, especially African, Arab, and Indian international students, have reported that border guards push them to the back of lines, assault them, prevent them from boarding buses, and state that "one foreigner can leave for every hundred Ukrainian" [11]. The average time for POC to cross borders is longer compared to Ukrainians...
Language: en |