Safe housing for whom? The importance of providing appropriate accommodation options for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers living in Sweden

Housing is a complex and often problematic concept for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, refugees and forced migrants. The Swedish Migration Agency (SMA) has put procedures in place which apply to the reception of vulnerable asylum seekers with special needs. According to these procedures, accommodation facilities provided by the SMA should be adapted to the specific needs of newcomers, which is especially relevant for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers who are at high risk of experiencing harassment in accommodation centers and often face discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, ethnicity and religion (AIDA, 2023). Housing constitutes an environment in which newly arrived LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, who have endured prolonged torture, abuse and violence during and before the migration process, may craft new solidarity networks, which are essential for building up identity affirming spaces. While the SMA procured privately operated asylum accommodations in 2015-2016 as a response to persistent threats and violence targeting LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, these accommodations were closed after the “refugee crisis” (Wimark, 2021:710), which effectively destroyed prospects for implementing long-term solutions for safe accommodation for queer asylum seekers on a national level.

At present, the SMA accommodation facilities are divided into three categories: apartment accommodation (ordinary apartments rented from property owners), corridor accommodation (bed in a shared bedroom, operated by the SMA) and temporary private accommodation (contracts with external private contractors such as hostels or hotels) (idem:706). In a study on Swedish housing policy for queer asylum seekers, the participants reported frequent occurrences of homo- and transphobia within asylum accommodations, including threats, harassment and violence. Despite the well-documented lack of safety and protection in asylum accommodation, the SMA provides no accommodation options which take the special needs of LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers into consideration on the basis that they “don’t want accommodations for specific groups divided by sexual orientation (…) we want the asylum accommodation to some extent reflect society in general” (idem:711). This narrative dismisses the existence of unsafe conditions governing asylum accommodation spaces which expose LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers to additional sources of hostility. The Swedish housing policy is moreover characterized by the prioritization of the heteronormative model, which organizes and divides asylum seekers in the housing system along the lines of cis-gender and the nuclear family (idem:713). In case of homo- and transphobic assaults, the SMA typically relocates the LGBTQIA+ asylum seeker instead of relocating the (heterosexual) perpetrator (idem:712). The housing policy as such others LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, who are then ordered to “adapt” to the heteronormative microcosm of asylum accommodation. The housing policy as such can be understood as an extension of the Swedish heteronormative society. It fails to construct spaces in which queer asylum seekers can be themselves and find security and safety. As “anomaly” within the system they instead have to cope with persistent homo- and transphobic violence at “home”. During the case assessment procedure, SOGI applicants are expected to openly proclaim and “prove” their sexual orientation and/or gender identity in order to receive protection. At the same time, they have to hide their identity in asylum accommodation centers to protect themselves.

The attempt of the SMA to position themselves as “neutral” by not providing special accommodation for queer asylum seekers obfuscates the heteronormative and homo- and transphobic violence which is entrenched in the housing policy. As LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers suffer from constant insecurity and the threat of assault in their current housing, accommodation options such as scattered safe accommodation and safe houses need to be urgently constructed (UNHCR, 2015:59) to ensure their safety and wellbeing, to reduce the risk of stigmatization and violence, but also to encourage the formation of queer solidarity and support networks. Safe accommodation for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers needs to be in proximity (or have easy access to) queer (migration) organizations in order to prevent isolation and re-traumatization, have stable internet connection to allow LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers to easily contact their counselors and support networks and have security measures in place to protect the residents from any possible outside harm (Tschalaer, 2020). Safe accommodation facilities for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers offer a means to strengthen community-based connections and to connect safety with identity-creating networks and socialization (AIDA, 2023).

The SMA should conduct thorough risk assessments of accommodation facilities, especially those housing newly arrived LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and forced migrants, and provide immediate alternative safe housing for those facing or having experienced abuse and violence in asylum accommodation centers. Safe housing for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers should be a top priority for the SMA; an effective way of building up safe spaces which are tailored to the specific needs of forced queer migrants is to collaborate with civil society organizations which are trained in LGBTQIA+ and migration related topics and offer support programs. At the same time, long-term solutions for safe housing options for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers must be designed rather than having temporary accommodation centers in place. Adjustments within the Swedish housing policy are necessary to guarantee safe spaces for every LGBTQIA+ asylum seeker, refugee and forced migrant at risk of violence and harassment. Tackling the underlying heteronormativity of asylum seeker accommodation and reconceptualizing the housing policy at an institutional level is of utmost importance. The needs of LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers need to, quite literally, be accommodated. Having a safe space to process their experiences, to express their identities and to find support in non-hostile environments without the threat of homo- and transphobic acts plays a fundamental role in the quality of life, including stability and security, of LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers, refugees and forced migrants.