Safety Among Newly Resettled Refugees in the USA

Within a context of changing political and social perspectives toward refugee resettlement in the USA, this mixed methods study examines experiences of safety among recently resettled refugees. The study was conducted by resettlement agency personnel within two states, Utah and Arizona. We examine risk and protective factors associated with perceptions of safety among a sample of 243 participants, as well as experiences related to safety as described in focus groups with 50 participants. Of the environmental factors examined, attending events related to one’s culture, language, or religion and more frequent home visits were associated with higher levels of perceived safety, while experiencing discrimination was associated with lower levels of perceived safety. Some individual and social factors such as nation of origin were also associated with perceptions of safety. Focus groups identified key themes related to safety in the USA which included discrimination, concerns about family safety, and feeling safe in the USA. An increased emphasis on safety as a key resettlement outcome can strengthen resettlement policy and guide community responses.