Due to the recent refugee crisis and tightening border controls, the camp has swollen in size to an estimated 7, people 2. Another camp close to Calais has seen a swell in numbers to 2, people. These are historically fit young men who can survive the treacherous journey.
In the last few months, increasing numbers of young women and unaccompanied children and adolescents are being seen. A large proportion of these people are hoping to get to the United Kingdom. The politics of the camp are vast and complex and beyond the scope of this blog but this camp is a peculiarity compared to refugee camps in other parts of the world.
(mh=uyDjMH0xQL0KINQc)0.jpg "Woman Calais")
As it is on European soil, it has limited non-governmental NGO input and the population do not have a vested interest in improving camp conditions as, for many, the main aim is to get to the United Kingdom. The inhabitants are not registered and population data is estimated. Security is very limited.
There is inadequate lighting, toilet and washing facilities 1. There is a very real risk of violence, sexual assault and exploitation β cases of sexual assault have been disclosed to volunteer nurses in the camp 4. Many of the women could also have experienced sexual violence in their country of origin or en route.
Some of the African women have originated from countries with very high rate of female genital mutilation and therefore, may have complicated deliveries should they become pregnant. A recent French study published in AIDS showed that African migrant women in France with insecure housing are eight times more likely to have transactional sex 5. Another study showed that at least half to a third of new diagnoses of HIV in Sub Saharan African migrants in France were acquired in France destitution appears to have contributed to these infections and women were especially vulnerable 6.
