There is an urgent need to increase support and protection for migrant women and consider measures which should be included in the Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill.
This is according to the May 2018 briefing by End Violence Against Women (EVAW) on women living in the ‘hostile environment’ (pdf).
This briefing argues that the ‘hostile environment’ exacerbates the already disproportionate vulnerability of migrant women to gender-based violence.
In the briefing, women’s groups call for measures to protect migrant women to be included in the proposed Domestic Violence Bill.
It includes the following recommendations:
- Putting protection of women from violence before enforcement of immigration controls
- Ensuring there’s a ‘firewall’ between public services and immigration control so women can get help safely
- Extending the ‘Destitute Domestic Violence Concession’ to more women and making it last for a longer period.
Rachel Krys, Co-Director of EVAW says:
The Government is consulting on its proposed Domestic Violence and Abuse Bill right now. Yet, the consultation makes hardly any mention of provisions to protect migrant women. We urge them to include these women in this Bill.