We created this crisis.
Six years after America’s invasion of Iraq, 4.5 million Iraqis continue to live as refugees. According to the UN, 2.6 million are refugees inside Iraq — people who have fled their homes and lost their jobs. An addition 1.9 million have left the country for Jordan, Syria, and other nations.
Iraq’s refugees live precariously. Inside Iraq, many face significant obstacles to finding safety and work. Outside Iraq, many more are prohibited from working in the nations they have escaped to.
As a result, an unknown number of Iraqi daughters and women have become prostitutes out of economic desperation. Their struggles are the result of our actions. They did not ask to become refugees. They deserve our support.