From violence to more violence in Central America
In: Forced migration review, Heft 48
Abstract
In recent years, urban violence has worsened the living conditions of people in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Very often, men, women and children leave not in search of a better life but simply in order to survive. Territorial conflict between the gangs is continual. The violence, fear and mistrust sown by the gangs eventually erode the social fabric and the little commercial initiative that remains in these places. For many, migration is the only option. In some regions of these countries, gang rule is absolute and young people are extremely vulnerable to forced recruitment into the gangs. Adolescents are continually intimidated and subjected to violence, pressurised into joining the gangs or working for them as drug pushers or in other roles. A recurrent theme in out-migration is the large number of children forced to leave their countries, exposing them to the dangerous conditions of the journey. Some families prefer to see their sons and daughters exiled rather than risk them being killed or forced into a life of crime. But the violence continues along the migration route. This violence is little different from the violence they face in their own countries. Adapted from the source document.
Themen
Gangs, Recruitment, Adolescents, Children, Migration, Risk, Vulnerability, Conflict, Central America
Sprachen
Englisch
Verlag
Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford, UK
ISSN: 1460-9819
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