CAMPAIGNS

Violence against women and girls is everybody’s problem. It cuts across age, class, race, religion or belief, gender, sex and sexual orientation.

The UK’s lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged people to stay at home. But for those living with perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse, this posed a greater risk than COVID itself. Over the last 20 months, some domestic violence/abuse support services have reported a 900% rise in calls asking for help.

Overwhelmingly, those in need of support are Black and minority ethnic, asylum and refugee women, who face heightened risks because of their gender, race, religion and class. The UK government’s 2012 ‘hostile environment’ policy has removed these women’s access to many basic services through ‘no resource to public funds’ [NPRF] measures, which means they have no access to refuge services and must choose between staying with their abusers or trying to survive on the streets.

The pandemic has only made this worse. While the government has recognized the increase in domestic violence during lock-down, recent policy briefings have given little attention to the specific impact this is having on Black and minority ethnic/ ‘by and for’ organisations and the communities they serve. That’s why we need your help.

Your Support

Your support is critical. If you can make a minimum donation of just £20.00, you will help us deliver emergency essentials during Covid-19 pandemic and the humanitarian crisis faced by asylum/refugee/Afghan women and children who are being temporarily supported by specialist ‘by and for’ services across England, Wales and Scotland.

Cases we are supporting

“Amara” was told by social services that she and her young daughter could simply live at the opposite side of the same house to her abusive husband when she reported domestic abuse. Social services refused to support her to leave the unsafe family home and find alternative, safe accommodation. Safety4Sisters are supporting her.