Where are queer people taken after they arrive?
Due to the current situation in Ukraine, there are more and more people who have to give up their existence and flee to a safe country. In the meantime, it is becoming clear that among the many people who have fled, there are some who have a particular need for protection or vulnerability.
The Berlin Senate is now looking precisely at these people and considering how they can best be accommodated and supported. The target group of these uncomplicated and as fast as possible assistance services includes those who, for example, need special medical or nursing treatment, but also people who belong to the LGBTQI+ community. Among other things, this is intended to create a protected space for homosexual, bi-sexual and transsexual people - despite (or precisely because of) the numerous negative circumstances that flight has already brought.
What exactly is being planned?
Senator for Integration, Labor and Social Affairs, Katja Kipping has introduced a bill that addresses housing, distribution and care for vulnerable and LGBTQI+ people.
In the course of the discussion, the need for special facilities was made clear. These are to help provide shelter and necessary treatment to every refugee. On Tuesday, the Senate gave the green light for the construction of these buildings.
Members of the LGBTQI+ community who fled the war in Ukraine should now benefit from a framework that protects them from discrimination and violence. The words have already been followed by some action. Berlin has already taken the first steps to implement the plans without bureaucracy.
What does the decision mean for the care of refugees?
Berlin is one of the cities where a particularly large number of refugees from Ukraine arrive. If the people have not been assigned directly to the capital, they must be distributed among the other federal states.
However, if the persons in question show a particular need for protection or vulnerability, it is now Berlin's responsibility to guarantee appropriate treatment and accommodation.
An extensive undertaking, but one from which the community can benefit in a special way.
What happens to LGBTQI+ refugees?
Refugees who classify themselves as belonging to the LGBTIQ+ community can easily indicate this when registering. They will then only be forwarded to the federal states that can offer a contact point for this group of people.
The good news is that there are now more and more public facilities that are intended for the LGBTQI+ community and offer the possibility of active exchange. Here, more and more emphasis is also being placed on individual details.
For example, transsexual people often stay in Berlin because there are comparatively many offers for this form of queerness here - especially compared to the rest of the Federal Republic.
Why are queer refugees actually given special protection?
There is a reason why queer refugees from Ukraine are given special protection. The fact that two Russian asylum seekers who openly admitted their homosexuality were treated in a derogatory manner by the Berlin refugee office made waves.
They are said to have explicitly asked to be housed in accommodation intended for people with particular vulnerability. The two Russians justified their request by saying that they feared they would face discrimination and violence in a "general emergency shelter." Despite their special protection status, they were assigned to a classic emergency shelter. Many responsible persons decided: Exactly THAT has to change.
So far, a total of more than 300,000 people have fled from Ukraine to Germany. Across Europe, the number is significantly higher. Meanwhile, many refugees are also traveling back to Ukraine to support the troops or to help people in need.
Have you also always wondered how "LGBTQ" friendly is Ukraine?