6. Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee Report — 'Gender based violence: The needs of migrant women'

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:42 pm on 14 December 2022.

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Photo of Sioned Williams Sioned Williams Plaid Cymru 4:42, 14 December 2022

The main thrust of our recommendations concerns improving support for a particular group of women, who are too often neglected and even invisible to society. I have certainly heard evidence that will stay with me forever about the experience of survivors from migrant communities. We looked at what can be done to ensure these women are seen, are heard, are supported, and are able to feel safe. I welcome the undeniable commitment of the Minister to addressing the levels of violence against women and girls, domestic abuse and sexual violence in Wales, and the response of the Government to the recommendations of our report reflects this, I think.

Centring survivor voice is often claimed by strategies, and the Government refers in its response to the report to the many cross-cutting action plans that are relevant to supporting migrant women that aim to do this. I accept the work is ongoing, but I would like to emphasise that we found many examples of where survivors and their communities had not been adequately listened to or consulted. This seemed especially true of raising-awareness campaigns around what constitutes abuse and when and where to access support. We have to do more to ensure we are engaging with women of all cultures and nationalities, to ensure they are protected, that they know their rights, and that they're able to seek help if needed—truly simple things, like some of the things Jenny Rathbone referenced: understanding women are more likely to see an advert on a bus than go to a website, as digital exclusion is such a huge barrier, appreciating where migrant women are, in the words of one of BAWSO's officers, 'allowed to go'. Migrant women we spoke to told us that traditional media is more accessible to them than social media, but, as Jenny Rathbone said, they impressed on us that this content must be available in different languages.

I think what this report also again foregrounds, and again Jenny referenced this, is this jagged edge between the devolved and reserved powers and responsibilities of which we speak so often in this place, Minister, especially when it comes to matters of social justice and equalities. So much of the evidence we heard was around how the UK Government's policy of no recourse to public funds is such a huge barrier for those experiencing sexual or gender-based violence and seeking support. I want to repeat some of the evidence we heard about the impact of that policy, because I think it's a danger that politicians don't always fully grasp, or can become desensitised to the human story behind that jargon and those legal terms that we hear or read so often in policy documents and reports. One contributor to one of our focus groups, whose work is supporting migrant women with experience of VAWDASV, gave an example of a pregnant asylum seeker with no recourse to public funds,

'She cries every day saying she's not comfortable where she is, the accommodation is terrible, there's smoke in the kitchen, doors are broken, she doesn't feel safe, she doesn't know who the accommodation manager is because she's just been put there and no-one comes to see her. Because she has no recourse to public funds, I can't apply for benefits or accommodation for her.'

And we have to remember these are women who have suffered trauma. Some of the trauma we heard about was unimaginable to most of us—truly, truly unimaginable. And this policy means that there is no help for these women who need our help so badly. 

But, powerfully, our report does make recommendations that could really help try to smooth that jagged edge in some cases for these women. It was evident that a crisis fund that service providers can access to support migrant women who are survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and are subject to no recourse to public funds, modelled on the Scottish Government's approach, would be extremely helpful, and I'm really glad to see that the Government has accepted this recommendation and would urge its implementation as a matter of urgency. Our aim to be a nation of sanctuary would be so well supported by this approach. And, given the central role of immigration status in the evidence we heard and the terrifying plans and disgusting rhetoric that we are hearing from the Westminster Tory Government around their approach and attitude to those seeking sanctuary, measures such as this are completely crucial to counter this in Wales. I invite you, Minister, to join me in placing on record today our utter condemnation of calls within the Tory party to try to pull the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights in order to remove rights from some of the most vulnerable people on this planet. Similar hateful rhetoric has been echoed online from Conservative Members in this place, which is all the more shameful as we enter the Christmas period, a holiday that has its foundation in gifting, sharing, goodwill and providing refuge.

To conclude, quite simply, no woman living in Wales should be unable to access vital support, such as specialist supported accommodation, because of their immigration status. Everyone has a right to be safe and to lead a life free of abuse and fear. I'm hopeful that the recommendations of our report will help ensure that.