Immigration into any country can be difficult. The first part is that you have to leave the place you lived previously, where you most likely grew up and called home. Some immigrate by chance, as they may get work in another country. Meanwhile, others move by force. These people are either made to leave by their government or bad things are happening, and they need to get out.

Immigration is a major issue across many countries. However, the United States of America and the United Kingdom may be the two biggest areas of the world where immigration causes issues. For both, illegal immigration is a major problem. This causes turmoil across the nation, as it affects jobs for people of these areas who were born there. The reasons for leaving can be numerous, that much is true. However, it affects more than just the person coming in. Yet those people come for reasons that we must understand.

However, you’ll find that women often find themselves one of the weirdest positions when they immigrate into another country. They even have to do things they don’t want to do in order to just get into certain nations or stay alive. It can be absolutely insane. In this list, we’ll be going over some confessions of female immigrants and what many have to go through. You’ll be shocked to see what they go through.

15. Brutal Story Of One Trafficking Survivor

It is well known that various women are part of trafficking issues all over the world, however, this was no ordinary situation. A Moldova woman was 18 at the time she was taken to The UK. She was forced into prostitution there by traffickers who took her from her home. UK officials knew she was there, illegally, and found that they could send the young woman back to her home. They ruled she would face no danger in going back, despite the fact that she was taken originally from bad men.

Upon being sent back, traffickers hunted her down in her village in Moldova. She was found by the original traffickers, and that was when the nightmare truly began. After finding her, the men gang-raped, strung her up by a rope from a tree, and forced her to dig her own grave. One of her front teeth was pulled out with a pair of pliers as well. Shortly after this she was re-trafficked, first to Israel and later back to the UK. She would later talk about how terribly the UK handled this, saying:

“Just look around you – see how many girls there are like me. They are coming all the time. I see them every day – in tube stations, all made up, early in the morning. Maybe for you it is difficult to see them, but I see them. I think the police should work better to stop this. Why don’t you shut down saunas and brothels? Then there would be no prostitutes, no pimps.”

14. There Is A High Demand For Certain Types Of Women

One of the worst things you’ll find is that just like the Moldova woman beforehand, there is a high risk of issues when it comes to trafficking. Human trafficking has happened to men too, but women often find themselves involved in it 5 times more. Men all over the world want certain types of women, which pushes traffickers to find these types of females. Young women from places like Israel, Russia, and various African and South American countries are taken into trafficking groups on a regular basis. Even American women are taken at times.

Rich men will pay for these women, which is the only reason trafficking even happens to begin with. There is a lot of money in it, as long as you don’t get caught or killed. The worst thing is that several less developed nations will look the other way. One of the most amazing stats you’ll find today is that according to a study in August of 2016, 17,000 to 19,000 people are trafficked into the United States per year. They did not choose to come to the nation or want to, they were forced. This is only the U.S. as well, imagine how bad it gets in other places. We imagine the U.S. wants to keep that on the DL.

13. Some Immigrants Pay Into Something They’ll Never See

It has been noted for years that immigrants come over to the United States of America and they take our jobs, right? It’s actually common to hear. One of the biggest additions to this is that these people come over and get paid under the table. That would mean they don’t pay taxes, Social Security, or anything of the sort. This is actually a huge lie. While yes, there are instances of this happening across the U.S., it is not the rule but the exception to it. Many pay into it. The real issue is getting a chance to actually get Social Security when you retire, despite paying into it.

As of now, you have to work around ten years in the U.S. as an immigrant to qualify for Social Security benefits upon the retirement age of 65. There are opportunities to change this, it’s called the Totalization Agreement. America has agreements with 26 nations, of which will accumulate work experience from their entire time in their home nation and time in the U.S. However, if you’re not from these places you may have trouble, and have to work at an older age to get by. The reason for this is that the U.S. wants you to have 40 work credits before you can qualify.

Basically, if you arrive to the U.S. over the age of 50, you may not qualify for Social Security. This is in spite of paying into it with your job. The worst part is that these immigrants typically have a high poverty rate. Ever wonder why complete families come together to the U.S. a lot more? Now you know one reason. This is clearly something that needs to be highlighted.

12. Detention Centers Are Horrific

We don’t want to pretend that detention centers are only housing women, but they do house quite a number of them. As of now, the United States has an insane number of immigrants in detention centers at over 40,000. That included both men and women, but also their children. Then Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said he would be open  to separate women from their children as well, when it came to the adults being taken away but children staying. This is not the worst thing about the centers either.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Human Rights Watch (HRW), and the immigrant advocacy group Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement (CIVIC) have spoken out about several alleged instances of sexual abuse and physical abuse by detention guards against females. This included things like unlawful strip searches. Obviously these centers were designed to put illegal immigrants, and no one is saying one should violate U.S. federal law by being here illegally.

However, to be put through the torture of a bad environment around you is not even close to the problem. Strip searches, families being broken up, and even proper medical care isn’t provided to women. This isn’t just wrong, it is downright inhuman for a country such as the United States of America. Plus it isn’t like all of these people broke federal immigration laws. Some were stuck here, and the detention centers were used as a holding area. Some were simply being held until papers came through, as well as multiple other reasons.

11. Children Taken Away From Undocumented Immigrant Women

As previously mentioned, there have been talks by John Kelly to take children away from mothers who immigrate to the United States. This is mostly thought to be happening for those who might be sent back to their former country or simply violate the law. This would mostly happen if the child is born in the U.S. it would seem. However, it could very well occur to those who come with their child into the country. The U.S. is not the only nation that does this sort of thing or has considered it. However, it seems that they are becoming one of the worst examples of it…especially under the new Presidential administration.

One example comes in the case of Maribel Trujillo, a undocumented Mexican immigrant woman who was taken from her home and 4 children. She had lived in America for fifteen years and had her four kids here. Ages 3, 10, 12, and 14…all were happy in America, which meant Maribel had a rough choice. She could leave her children behind and risk never seeing them again. Or she could take them back to Mexico, where they would not grow up with the same opportunities they have now. Most her kids don’t speak Spanish well enough to get by there, as growing up in America provided them the chance to mostly speak English.

She ended up not taking her kids back to Mexico with her, and now there she fears for the life of herself and her family with her. She has already received threats and is trapped in a gang-ridden part of the country. She lived in America, though illegally for 15 years, but was never a criminal and worked without even as much as of small issue. She told The Washington Post: “The pain of leaving my kids. I can’t explain what it’s like to be apart from them.”

10. Abuse At Work Is Common Among Immigrant Women

Sexual harassment is a crime, as is any sort of abuse on a female co-worker. This much is obvious. It does not matter if you’re an American woman or from another nation, you should not be abused at any time, much less the place you work. However, it is far more common for immigrant women. According to Domestic Workers United, in just the city of New York alone, 33% of women were abused at work often because of their race or immigration status. This might be one of the most eye-opening statistics you’ll ever see.

The worst part of this? Immigrant women are far more likely than American born women to not report their abuse. The reason may have to do with language, but it also has to do with immigration status. This is the very reason why these women are targeted on the streets or at work. Men know they’ll get away with doing what they want because reporting it to the police will most likely result in a woman being deported if she is not here legally.

9. The U.S. Department Of Justice Has Special Visas To Help Trafficked Immigrants And Barely Use It

You’ll note in slide 15, we wrote about an instance involving a trafficking nightmare for one woman. You won’t be surprised that it is not just The UK that has an issue with trafficking when it comes to immigrant women. The U.S. also has a real problem with this. Each year, roughly 50,000 people are trafficked into the United States according to the Department of Justice. A special visa called the “T-Visa” is given to those involved in the sex trade that are brought to the country illegally without their own approval.

The saddest part is that while we clearly have a way to help any woman trafficked into the country, this special visa is rarely handed out. Only 507 were handed out in 2015(the last year for data recorded on this). The U-Visa, which helps immigrant people that are affected by violent crimes, does have a higher amount. Around 10,000 were issued in 2016. However, both are a far cry from the amount needed when 50,000 come in per year. Plus, we don’t know how many people are taken in and kept for years before they are found.

Imagine in just ten years, we would have 500,000 trafficked individuals that came into the United States without ever wanting to. Then just 10,000 U-Visas were given in that time each year. There is still around 400,000 people not helped in that time. This isn’t even coming close to the number of T-Visas issued that could help but are rarely handed out.

8. There Is Massive Gender Bias In Immigration

You would not be shocked by this one, but some could be a bit thrown back. When women and men arrive into the country, it is naturally assumed the man is the worker and the woman is a dependent. Even if there isn’t a marriage or it’s a brother/sister combo. This isn’t surprising, but it is quite dangerous. If a woman comes in alone, she is treated just as differently as if she was coming in as the mother of ten children and dependent on a guy. This isn’t right, and neither one of those women should be treated differently. Yet that is happening.

Arizona State Professor Cecilia Menjivar and Olivia Salcido, a researcher who studies law, immigration and domestic violence, studied immigration for over a decade. They found a ton of eye-opening things in their study eventually published in 2013. They claimed: “We found that even laws written specifically to protect women, such as the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), continued to play out in practice along gender-biased lines.”

Women are constantly running into issues when it comes to getting in alone. The VAWA is constantly overlooked when women seek asylum and need to get away from domestic abusers. They have to prove their domestic issues, even show documents with their name and abuser and prove they live with them. This can be hard to do when he might be the primary worker and the woman would not have much of anything in her name. This is just a small issue and it leads to a ton of the undocumented women in the United States.

7. Muslim Women Must Violate Their Faith?

When it comes to the world today, ISIS is one of the top terror threats around. Every country is on alert, and that goes triple for the highly developed countries like The UK, Russia, China, and the United States. Due to ISIS using Islam to promote terror, a lot of issues come for people who are Muslim and wish to immigrate to the United States or any developed country. Refugees are massive among the Middle East, and many assume that these people are trying to come into the major nations and kill people there in the name of ISIS.

In reality, this isn’t the case 95% of the time. The refugees are trying to get away from extremists themselves, as many Middle Eastern areas have turned into war-zones. One of the biggest things women face being a Muslim is that they can be spotted in a crowd easily due to their notable burkas they wear. It covers them due to a modesty situation as only their significant other are supposed to see them without clothing. It is very old thinking, but that is their religion.

Due to this, Muslim women are often harassed over their religion and especially their wardrobe. In fact, there are several countries that have banned the full burka or veil. The list includes France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Congo-Brazzaville, Turkey, and Switzerland. Both Australia and now the United States are seeking a possible ban on them as well. That being said, any woman choosing to immigrate to these areas will have to violate their faith. This is quite a difficult thing to do for anyone. It is almost like telling a Christian they cannot wear their cross-necklace.

6. Being Brown Makes You A Target For Racism And Bigotry

Not every person who comes to the middle-east or India is a Muslim. In fact, several people from all over the world happen to have brown skin like that of what many classify as a person of the Islamic faith.  Probably the biggest target are Indians. They look very similar to those coming from the Middle-East. Features are almost exact and there is a huge Islamic population there too. ISIS does not seem to have a lot of Indian connections, but that does not matter to eyesight.

These Indian immigrants are often looped into the middle-easterners, even if they are not even Muslim. There are many Sikh men and women, and they are nothing like the Muslims. In fact, they are vastly different. Women are treated equal to men and even encouraged to be educated and become leaders in their community.

Women are often spotted as Muslim despite being Sikh, mainly due to their wardrobe. The wardrobe is similar to Islamic women, but a bit more flashy. You’ll also normally see this as what you might notice from the Indian or Middle East costumes from old school films. Lots of color, fake(sometimes real) jewelry, and much more. Yet due to people not understanding the differences….these women are targeted a lot. They experience severe racist actions against them due to the ignorance. Indian Sikhs, more than any other, seem to get the most amount of unwarranted hatred from Americans who think they are Middle Eastern Muslims.

5. Women Give Up Great Professional Jobs To Immigrate

You may not realize it, but many women who come to the United States are not here to simply find work at a low-income job or pop out babies. I know, crazy right? In fact, many come here with the intention to make a completely better life for themselves. According to New America Media, 32% of women who came into the U.S. having had a professional job in their home country, while only 13% of those women still work in a professional field when they actually arrive. Women give this up for multiple reasons.

In fact, according to Pew Research Center, around 31-32% come to America with a college degree from another country. Of course, this includes both genders and not just women. It is noted that you can transfer some credits from previous universities out of the United States, but not all allow you to. Through CLEP, people can take tests to transfer knowledge without having to take extra courses though. Most universities accept this.

Some do not get help here, and have to start over the moment they arrive. Many come here to attain graduate degrees with this mindset as well. It is interesting that people risk so much just to be fully recognized for being what they already are before they left home. It is also interesting that people go through so much just to become something new and different, in a land just the same to them.

4. Trying To Immigrate Can Cost You Your Life

Trying to get into America or any other nation is clearly tough already. You have to go through so much, but trying to escape a terrible place while doing so can make it harder. Right now, ISIS is recruiting in the Middle-East. If you don’t want to take part, that does not matter. You’re forced to do so, if you don’t then your family will be killed along with yourself. Hands are tied, which is why ISIS has a foundation of threats to each other to make it up. Obviously leaders believe the hype, but you should not expect this of all involved.

Colluding with America or anyone else can result in the death of your family and yourself. It can be horrific, which is why many try to get out. This is just one example however, as there have been bad dictators from all over the world. Cuba might be one of the most connected, as they had a man by the name of Fidel Castro who tortured people. Many escaped to reach the United States or Mexico. However, very few who try to escape are able to get away if the country doesn’t allow them to.

Many men and women alike have been killed in their attempt to immigrate. This is one reason why women might marry a man from a developed nation who they do not love. It is a way to get out. These women are also willing to have children for the same opportunity. People have died on the escape, from being shot to drowning. Some even have to walk through horrific heat in deserts just to make it to a civilization once they arrive. People have died there simply from exhaustion and dehydration.

3. Deciding Between Accepting Domestic Abuse And Deportation

Like the abuse from work, domestic abuse can be terrible. Immigrant women are far more vulnerable to it than American women simply because they’re immigrants. A lot of immigrant women are undocumented, and that has forced them to accept domestic violence as a fact of life. One woman found this out the hard way. Her name is Irvin Gonzalez, who happens to be an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. She was staying in a domestic violence shelter in El Paso, Texas and left to go to the courthouse over the issue of being abused by her ex-boyfriend.

Gonzalez told the cops previously that her ex punched, kicked, and strangled her on multiple occasions. Once he even chased her with a knife. She was seeking a protective order against him. Upon arrival, she was met by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Her caseworker said that they were there to arrest her. She has been undocumented and deported multiple times now. While the judge did grant her the protective request, it appears Gonzalez has a lot more to worry about.

Due to now being charged with illegal reentry to the U.S., she risks up to ten years in prison. Interestingly, it was her ex-boyfriend who called immigration officers to tell them of her whereabouts. This happens in many cases all over the United States per year, so many don’t report for a long time just to avoid the situation Gonzalez found herself in.

2. Becoming Legal Is Harder Than It Seems

Let’s face the facts here. Becoming a citizen is incredibly difficult, but attaining a full VISA for the entire time you have to wait while trying to become a citizen can also suck. This is why there are so many undocumented immigrants. All of this also costs money. Not only is the travel just to get somewhere expensive, but the amount of money you need to actually get what you need is tough to come by as well. All of this is in the background to the undeniable fact that you may very well not speak the language of the country you’re immigrating to.

This leads to many women marrying men of the nation they moved to, simply because it can guarantee them a stay in the country. The U.S. is known for this being a pretty popular way to protect immigrants. Not all are lucky enough for this to occur though. Many are having to deal with being illegal, avoiding all the things we wrote on here, all in an attempt to be legalized. A lot of this can be tough to handle. It costs a lot of money at the end of the day, something immigrants do not naturally have. Meanwhile, you deal with constant racism, and sexism as a woman on top of it. Rights are minimal and you are treated like a second-class citizen. Yet many put up with this because it is STILL better than where they were.

On top of all of this, certain nations only allow for so many people to apply per year. That means even if you file the right forms, you’re still not guaranteed citizenship. That can even take so long you become illegal. This is the primary reason for VISAs and Green Cards. Despite that, even those are not as easy to come by if you don’t have a professional job or go to school. On top of this, the nations may not accept you for any number of reasons outside of the amount of people applying per year.

1. The Curse Of Slavery Continues

We all know there was a time of slavery across the world. Even today in South Africa, there are slavery issues among their very own. However, the issue is throughout the continent. The first man in the Americas to even have slaves happen to be black himself. His name was Anthony Johnson for the history buffs out there. Slavery was a major problem mostly for Africans, as white Europeans had discovered Africans centuries ago and knew they could take advantage of their primitive nature. They would take them from their homes and force them to become slaves for them at their homes.

This happened to be a big deal for women as well. While men did a lot of the manual labor across homes in Europe and eventually the Americas, women would be used in the homes a lot. It has been noted that several men had sexual relations with female slaves. Women would even get pregnant from the affair, which caused biracial babies to be born. Some children were killed while others were sent to other slave owners. Women would be raped at times by their owners and/or workers and friends. Some were sent around as early versions of prostitutes in order to make an extra dime for their owner.