Christian refugees in Germany may have fled war zones, but they haven’t escaped persecution. A new report by Open Doors shows that Christians living in German refugee hostels face violence for their faith, including death threats and physical attacks.

According to Thomas Muller, an Open Doors persecution analyst, “Christian refugees from many different countries are trying and failing to find safety in Europe and it is likely that the report only shows the tip of the iceberg.”

The Christian refugees surveyed said they had suffered from persecution both at the hands of fellow refugees and through hostel (refugee center) security staff. Some 75% stated that this had happened repeatedly.

“It is clear that many Christian refugees — especially those who are converts to the Christian faith — live in fear of persecution from Muslim refugees who make up the majority of residents in the refugee hostels set up throughout Europe,” said Muller.

Christians who come from a Muslim background are targets for some Muslim migrants, who consider them apostates. The report cites an incident in Berlin where a Protestant minister said Christian refugees were threatened after they refused to take part in Islamic prayers with other migrants, mainly from Afghanistan and Iran.

Most of these Christians have given up looking for help from the authorities. Only 20% of those surveyed had been to the police or authorities to report an incident, and in most cases nothing was done to offer the victims protection. According to Open Doors, very often the Christians were not taken seriously or they faced recriminating complaints against their own conduct.

As Muller notes, “It is sobering to hear persecuted Christians telling a Western country that they recognize the very same persecution patterns in operation as in their home countries.”