Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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19.53 19.54 19.55 19.56 Recommendation: Government policies should not leave vulnerable women at risk of VAWG Vulnerable migrant women may find it more difficult to leave situations of violence and abuse than settled women because of problems of language, social isolation, patriarchal cultural expectations, fear of repercussions from family members and the wider community, inappropriate responses and/or racism from mainstream agencies, reluctance to report or approach generic agencies, as well as the impact of the ‘no recourse to public funds’ rule. (See Appendix: 8) Despite the existence of the Domestic Violence Rule, women who are in the UK on a spousal or partner visa may fear that they cannot leave a violent relationship without jeopardizing their ‘leave to remain’ here during the two year ‘probationary’ period and because of a range of other barriers. This probationary period has now been increased to five years which means that women on dependant visas are likely to be trapped for longer in violent relationships. (See Articles 9 and 15 for further information) BMER women and VAWG The Government’s report is silent about initiatives to support BMER women victims of DV despite a high proportion of victims being from BMER backgrounds. There needs to be coordinated government action to tackle and prevent violence against BMER women and girls and to consider their obligations under the PSED to ensure issues affecting BMER women and girls have a specific focus within these policies and not as an after-thought. The context within which some BMER women experience gender-based violence may also differ. For instance, women may experience violence from multiple perpetrators including intimate partners and/or through familial and wider community or group based structures. For some BMER women, direct experiences of discrimination will be a significant factor in a preference for accessing specialist BMER VAWG services that provide safety and support within spaces that are responsive to women’s needs in the context of race and gender. 96 BMER women and girls need specialist services to empower them and tackle issues around multiple discrimination, language, culture, religion and immigration at a local level. 87% of women prefer to be supported by a BMER service. 97 However, there is a lack of appropriate support for BMER women and girls including those affected by forced marriage, (See Appendix: 29 for further information) FGM (See Appendix: 33) and ‘honour’-based violence, and BMER providers are facing challenges in the context of increased service demand and cuts. 98 In 2009 nine out of ten Local Authorities had no specific provision for BMER women who have experienced violence and where there are services, they tend to be located in a metropolitan area. 99 One study found that in England over 800 BMER women, at least, were known to have been unable to access services. 100 (See Appendix: 5) 96. FORWARD and Imkaan (2011) The Road to Sustainability: A review of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee organisations working with women on health and gender based violence in England. A study commissioned by the Women’s Health and Equality Consortium. WHEC: London http://www.whec.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/07/TheRoadtoSustainabilityExecSummary2011.pdf 97. Imkaan (2010) Vital Statistics: The Experiences of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee Women and Children Facing Violence and Abuse. Imkaan: London http://imkaan.org.uk/resources 98. Imkaan, Equality Now and City University. (2011) The Missing Link: A joined up approach to addressing harmful practices in London. Greater London Authority: London https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4zq0jgk4xyez91i/9xvCKa5r0H/The%20Missing%20Link%20Exec%20 Summary%20September%202011.pdf 99. Coy, M., Kelly, L. and Foord, J. (2009) Map of Gaps 2: The postcode lottery of violence against women support services in Britain. Equality and Human Rights Commission and End Violence Against Women Coalition: London http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/key-projects/ map-of-gaps/ 100. FORWARD and Imkaan (2011) The Road to Sustainability: A review of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee organisations working with women on health and gender based violence in England. A study commissioned by the Women’s Health and Equality Consortium. WHEC: London http://www.whec.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/07/TheRoadtoSustainabilityExecSummary2011.pdf 184 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013
19.57 19.58 19.59 19.60 BMER VAWG provision has been further undermined by the Community Cohesion policy, introduced to tackle Muslim extremism, which encouraged Local Authorities against the funding of ethnic minority groups. However, despite positive judgements around this, 101 many commissioners have continued to cut BMER services or divert funding to generic provision, and/ or prioritised resources for faith-based groups or initiatives instead. (See Articles 10 and 16) In 2012 the Tell MAMA campaign 102 was launched to provide support and assistance to victims of anti-Muslim prejudice and to work with partners like local police forces, Victim Support and Neighbourhood Watch to ensure that they get the support that they need. Initial findings were that Muslim women are experiencing increasing harassment and the vast majority of victims are women (over 70% of cases received). Over half of the women who have suffered anti-Muslim incidents and prejudice wear the Hijab (head covering) and women who wear the Niqab (face veil) stated that they are more likely to suffer sustained attacks with the majority of incidents involving white male attackers. It was also found that members of the extreme right-wing group the English Defence League (EDL) and/or sympathisers were involved in one in four cases. This demonstrates a worrying development in hate crime and violence against BMER women that cannot be ignored. Recommendations: • Ensure that specialist service provision is accessible for BMER women survivors of VAWG. Funding for specialist organisations/services for BMER women should be ring-fenced and protected and/or a central funding stream should be provided • Develop a multi layered strategy to prevent and tackle hate crime and violence against BMER women and girls ‘Honour’-based violence ‘Honour’-based violence (HBV) can take a number of forms, including forced marriage, forced suicide, murder, assaults, imprisonment, blackmail and rape. HBV is normally collectively planned and carried out by the victim’s family, sometimes with the wider community. It therefore requires a specific response which recognizes that the victim may be at risk from multiple parties. It occurs where the motivation for the violence is in the name of so called ‘honour’ and is a cross cutting issue which overlaps with domestic and sexual violence, harmful practices and child abuse. Case study: 103 IKWRO provides advice and support to women and girls from the UK’s Middle Eastern communities. In 2012 they catalogued 15 incidents where professionals including social workers, police officers, health professionals and housing officers had failed to protect women and girls at risk of forced marriage or ‘honour’ killing. In 2010 the Government undertook a review of local service provision on HBV. The Government’s VAWG Action Plan 104 promised to release the findings from this review and to share examples of best practice in areas where service provision is insufficient. It also promised 101. For example Southall Black Sisters, Southall Black Sisters’ victory against Ealing Council http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/campaigns/ save-sbs-campaign-2008/ Accessed: 18/04/13 102. Tell Mama, Measuring anti-Muslim attacks http://tellmamauk.org/ Accessed: 22/04/13 103. Iranian and Kurdish Women’s Rights Organisation (IKWRO) http://ikwro.org.uk/ Accessed: 22/04/13 104. Home Office (2011) Call to End Violence against Woman and Girls: Action Plan. HM Government http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ publications/crime/call-end-violence-women-girls/vawg-action-plan?view=Binary Page 19. Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 185
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Women’s equality in the UK - A he
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Women’s equality in the UK - A he
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Appendices (online only) Appendix 1
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• the continued discrimination ag
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• Develop a common model of analy
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Article 9 - Nationality: One third
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investment in social infrastructure
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and increase the marginalisation of
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have been no prosecutions in Englan
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1 2 3 4 5 Introduction This is a Un
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10 11 12 13 housing crisis, a ‘lo
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1.1 1.2 1.3 Article 1 - Overarching
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1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 Women’
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1.17 1.18 1.19 Young women We are a
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2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 consult to “remov
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2.12 2.13 discrimination”. Howeve
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2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 CEDAW and the l
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3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 would “increase
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3.15 3.16 3.17 and accountable EHRC
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3.22 3.23 3.24 report is was partic
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classes, migrants, and Gypsy, Trave
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the institutional discrimination an
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