by Cat Linton
After many months of delay, those of us working with Black and minoritised migrant women suffering from abuse, trafficking and exploitation have been eagerly awaiting a renewed focus and strategy on ending Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). We welcome, with reservations, some of the statements included as part of this strategic framework. We are also concerned about provisions that would likely have a detrimental impact to the women we support. We will take time to analyse these proposals and will publish a detailed response in the New Year.
Whilst the strategy purports “to offer support that understands every victim and survivor, inclusive and regardless of their background and protected characteristics”, it fails to view the issue of VAWG through an intersectional lens. By not meaningfully including Black and minoritised migrant women, it further marginalises them, entrenching a two-tier system of protection in which some survivors are deemed worthy of safety and others are neglected. It is impossible to safeguard all women if migrant women are excluded from policy endeavours and guidance.
Whilst the strategy shows an intention to include varied approaches to VAWG, it remains heavily reliant on a criminal justice system (CJS) approach. This is alarming as the CJS has consistently failed victims of VAWG, particularly those subjected to marginalisation, including those who have been trafficked, exploited forced to use violence against perpetrators in self-defence or coerced into committing a crime. It is, however, positive that the strategy recognises that the fear of criminalisation is exploited by perpetrators to prevent migrant women from being safe. It is promising that the government is committing to increasing awareness of the dynamics of unjust criminalisation of victim-survivors as well as improving support for those who experience this form of harm. The reality is that the VAWG strategy proposals to expand police and court powers against perpetrators will continue to deepen these harms if they are not accompanied by fundamental reform. Without addressing the systemic bias that leads to the over-policing, disbelief and prosecution of Black, minoritised and migrant victim/survivors, increased enforcement will continue to punish them.
This strategy follows recent proposals to change immigration policy in ways that we believe will have a devastating impact on Black and minoritised migrant women, particularly those who are victim/survivors of VAWG and human trafficking. It is a political choice to prioritise immigration control over the safety and security of women’s lives. Specialist and by-and-for services have spent years detailing and evidencing the dangerous implications that hostile environment policies have on the women that we work with. It is extremely disappointing that our voices were excluded from consultations, and it is no surprise that the strategy fails to mention the key issues facing Black and minoritised migrant victims/survivors of VAWG. As a result, these women have, again, been left unprotected by a so called ‘mainstream’ strategy that fails to consider them at all.
We acknowledge the government’s recognition that “many migrant and asylum-seeking victims will not come forward to report abuse out of fear about their future”, and the proposed requirement for police to seek a victim/survivor’s consent before sharing their information with Immigration Enforcement. However, we are concerned about how this will work in practice. For a migrant woman experiencing distress and acute trauma, who may not understand what she is being asked and may not have access to legal advice, truly informed consent may not ever be realistic. This is particularly the case given the inherent power dynamic and likely intimidation they may be experiencing, and the significance of the implications of information sharing with Immigration Enforcement. At Hibiscus, we believe that Black and minoritised migrant women will only be protected if no information about them is ever shared. We support LAWRS in their call for the meaningful involvement of by and for organisations in the development of this policy to ensure it is fit for purpose.
Responding to the announcements, Elizabeth Jiménez-Yáñez, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Hibiscus, said:
After multiple delays and a consultation process that excluded key voices in the VAWG sector the Freedom from Violence and Abuse strategy has been published today. At Hibiscus we cautiously welcome the recognition of the unjust criminalisation as an issue affecting victim-survivors of VAWG particularly Black, minoritised and migrant women. However, we are disappointed to see the lack of real action to end VAWG for women with insecure immigration status.
The absence of migrant women from this strategy is not accidental. It reflects a long-standing pattern of the government ignoring lived experience, evidence and the expertise of specialist by-and-for organisations whilst continuing to advance policies that criminalise or punish survivors particularly those with insecure immigration. Failing to address the role of the criminal justice and immigration system in perpetuating VAWG will push women further into precarity and desperation. The government’s ambition to halve VAWG over the next decade is not credible if the needs of migrant women are excluded. Any strategy that sidelines migrant women will inevitably undercount harm, misdirect resources and fail to meet its own targets. This is not a credible pathway to reducing VAWG it will only result in violence going unchecked for the most vulnerable victims.