Call for better protections for refugee victims of sexual and gender-based violence

The group has sent letters to the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru, to raise concerns about the impact the Illegal Migration Bill will have on victims of SGBV seeking refuge in the UK.

Under the new law, for example, migrant survivors would be excluded from the national referral mechanism and the asylum system.

The signatories include representatives from the University of Birmingham, JustRight Scotland, Freedom from Torture, British Red Cross, Doctors of the World, Women’s Aid, Southall Black Sisters, and other organisations working to fight violence against women and girls.

Professor Jenny Phillimore, who leads the SEREDA Project, which examines SGBV experienced by refugees from displacement to arrival, said: “It is now well known that the British migration and asylum system is broken and unable to serve the public or protect and support some of the most vulnerable people in need of refuge and safety. Victims of sexual and gender-based violence, most of whom are women and children, are being failed by the system and are facing danger every step of the way. But it is within our politician’s gift to change that.

“That is why, today, we are calling for all political parties to include pledges to make desperately needed improvements to the Illegal Immigration Bill and the migration and asylum systems in their 2024 manifestos. The topic of immigration and asylum system is not a political football to be used to score points against opponents. It impacts real people every day causing additional harm to those it should be protecting.”

Sabrina Galella, policy officer at JustRight Scotland, said: “The Illegal Migration Bill is effectively an asylum ban – it will protect traffickers and punish survivors. If passed, it will remove existing protections for victims of forced migration and sexual and gender-based violence. This bill will undoubtedly trap countless victims of modern slavery and human trafficking into indefinite exploitation by denying them the right to say they are a victim of crime. It will prevent victims from accessing mechanisms of safety through which people can escape exploitation.

“This bill is unworkable - it will only cause suffering and put further lives at risk. We urge all political parties to sign our pledge and to work towards more humane and practical solutions to support people when they need it most.”