Interpersonal violence as a public health issue amongst the refugee, migrant and learning disability communities

Objectives

To examine interpersonal violence as a public health issue affecting refugees, migrants and people with learning disabilities in the United Kingdom, and to identify system-level drivers and opportunities for prevention and response.

Study design

Theory-informed conceptual narrative synthesis using two illustrative case studies.

Methods

We synthesised evidence from public health, migration and disability literature and relevant policy/guidance, organised using an ecological and social determinants framework. We developed two case studies (forced migration and learning disability) to map how systems shape exposure, disclosure and access to protection.

Results

Across both populations, violence is structurally produced through immigration/asylum rules, institutional and social care environments, welfare and housing precarity, and service designs that restrict autonomy and undermine disclosure. Common gaps include under-recognition by services, limited staff training, and a lack of culturally and cognitively accessible pathways to safety, contributing to preventable health inequalities.

Conclusions

Preventing and responding to interpersonal violence for these groups requires system-level, rights-based, trauma-informed and culturally/cognitively responsive approaches, including routine enquiry, accessible communication tools, clear referral pathways and sustained investment in specialist community-led services.