Amnesty International today said a Home Affairs Committee Report fails to tackle the need to protect the most vulnerable women – those seeking asylum. It said the report on tackling violence against women was “insufficient”.

Responding to the Home Affairs Committee Report on violence against women released today (13 June), Amnesty International UK Stop Violence Against Women campaign manager Heather Harvey said:

“We’re delighted that the Committee has recognised the need for a cohesive, overall strategy in tackling violence against women. This is something that Amnesty International has long been calling for. An integrated strategy is an international obligation according to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, which the UK Government has a duty to fulfil.

“The report brings together a variety of factors that are fundamental to stemming the tide violence affecting women, including the need for prevention and early intervention through public campaigning and seeking to challenge attitudes that tolerate violence against women.

“It falls short however of calling on the Government to protect one of the most vulnerable groups of women living in the UK – women with insecure immigration status.

“Keith Vaz is correct in his conclusion that the UK Government is failing to protect women in a variety of ways, including a shortage of refuge space. However even if the Government could provide an adequate amount of space, that would amount to nothing for hundreds of women who would really need it: those who are currently not able to access refuges because of their immigration status.

“The Government has an international duty to ensure that all women under its jurisdiction are shielded from violence and abuse.

“In order to do this, it should provide an exemption to the ‘no recourse’ rule where women are left unable to access even basic levels of protection and support, simply because of their vulnerable immigration status.”

Also responding to the findings contained in the report, End Violence Against Women Coalition manager Holly Dustin said:

“It is certainly the case that there is a desperate shortage of refuge places for women and that there is indeed a ‘postcode lottery’ of specialist support services to support women who have been victims of violence.

“Every year three million women in the UK experience domestic violence, trafficking, stalking, rape or another form of violence. At the moment the level of specialist support is insufficient. There are widening gaps in the support system across the UK where millions of women cannot access the services they need.

“One in three local authorities don’t have any support services for women affected by violence and only one in ten local authorities in the UK have services that address issues that particularly affect women from black and ethnic minority communities, like forced marriage and ‘honour crimes’.

“It is simply unacceptable that so many women do not have the support they need to help them escape to safety and rebuild their lives after violence and abuse.

“What is needed is a national funding strategy to stem the tide of closures and stabilise existing life-saving services. The Government should look to Scotland where ring-fenced funding at a national level has led to the expansion of Rape Crisis Centres in contrast to the rest of the UK where services have been haemorraging at an alarming rate

“We welcome the Committee’s focus on the need for prevention which should include high profile public campaigns and work with young people in schools around issues like consent to sex and domestic violence.”

End Violence Against Women is a coalition of individuals and organisations calling on the Government, public bodies and others to take concerted action to end violence against women. It includes activists, survivors, academics, service providers and organisations.