Press release: Home Office Review on data-sharing on migrant victims is not fit for purpose, say women’s rights and civil liberties groups
Southall Black Sisters (SBS), Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) and Liberty have condemned the Government’s refusal to institute a firewall that would protect victims and witnesses of crime.
Liberty and SBS filed the first ever police super-complaint in December 2018, over the systematic sharing of victim data with immigration enforcement. The super-complaint, accompanied by 50 pages of evidence, showed that this practice was preventing victims of crime, particularly migrant women, from speaking to the police and putting them at risk.
In response, police watchdogs, HMICFRS, the College of Policing (CoP) and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) called for immediate action to stop this practice. Their report made clear that data-sharing acted as a deterrent to victims reporting crime, and that data-sharing caused significant harm to the public interest because of victims’ inability to seek protection or justice.
Today, Wednesday 15 December, the government announced the outcome of a Home Office Review[1] on data sharing between the police and Immigration Enforcement concerning migrant victims and witnesses of crime. The review makes no reference to police watchdogs’ response to SBS’ and Liberty’s super-complaint.
Pragna Patel, director of Southall Black Sisters said: “As organisations that work with some of the most vulnerable and deprived migrant victims of domestic abuse, we reject this Review and its findings.
This Review is the outcome of three years of engagement with the Home Office that has proved itself to be untrustworthy. We have been compelled to engage in meaningless consultations and meetings on data sharing with the Home Office (which we did in good faith) only to be told that the immigration system – in its present cruel, discriminatory and inhuman form – must be maintained at any cost. It makes us question not only the Home Office’s dubious claims to support all victims of abuse but also the very purpose of police-super-complaints mechanism since the outcomes are casually disregarded by the very institutions that we seek to hold accountable.”
Gisela Valle, director of the Latin American Women’s Rights Service said: “We are deeply disappointed to see that once again immigration enforcement takes precedence over the security and support needs of survivors of domestic abuse. It is contradictory for the Police and the Home Office to reiterate that survivors of domestic abuse are treated as a victim first and foremost but only insofar as it doesn’t affect the enforcement of immigration laws. Considering the ample evidence of the manipulation of survivors’ insecure immigration status by perpetrators of domestic abuse, we consider prioritising immigration enforcement over the safety of victims the state amounts to complicity in the coercion and control of migrant victims of domestic abuse.”
Liberty lawyer Lara ten Caten said: “It has never been clearer than during the pandemic – when countless people have been shut off from health services due to the risk of having their health data shared with immigration enforcement – that this practice puts lives at risk.
“The super-complaint brought by Liberty and Southall Black Sisters sought a firewall between police and the home office for immigration enforcement purposes so that victims and witnesses of crime would feel safe in coming forward. This decision by the Home Office not to implement a firewall ignores or plays down the fact that routine police discrimination already makes it harder, even dangerous, for people from marginalised backgrounds to interact with the police. This practice actively puts them, and everyone in society, at risk of crime.
“No one is safe until everyone is safe. We urge the government to reconsider their decision and implement a firewall.”
Pragna Patel, director of SBS, and Gisela Valle, director of LAWRS, added: “The Home Office is trying to re-brand Immigration Enforcement as a ‘safeguarding’ service when data sharing is a key plank of the Government’s hostile environment policy - which we say must be scrapped. This is why we strongly disagree with the proposal to create an Immigration Enforcement Migrant Victims Protocol which will in fact consolidate the sharing of domestic abuse victims' data between the police and immigration enforcement as a standardised practice across all police forces nationally. Safeguarding is clearly incompatible with the Home Office’s immigration enforcement role which is its primary purpose.
The Government told us that it was committed to a full review of the ‘hostile or compliant’ environment following the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, but the outcome of the Home Office Review provides further evidence of its unwillingness to soften, let alone dispense with, the harmful and discriminatory impact that its immigration policies have on those who are most in need of protection. The impact of data sharing has been particularly damaging during the coronavirus pandemic when migrant women experiencing domestic abuse have faced the double threat of being trapped with their attackers but unable to go to the police.”
Contact Gisela Valle at gisela@lawrs.org.uk Pragna Patel at pragna@southallblacksisters.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
- The Home Office report is available atReview of data sharing: migrant victims and witnesses of crime - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The Review arose out of the first ever police super-complaint that was jointly submitted by Southall Black Sisters and Liberty in 2018 which highlighted how data sharing between the police and Immigration Enforcement deterred migrant women subject to domestic and sexual abuse and other vulnerable victims or witnesses of crime from reporting to the police. Findings from an HMICFRC investigation into the police super-complaint upheld the complaint and made clear that data-sharing was a deterrent; that there were inconsistencies and confusion across police forces about how to deal with victims and witnesses who have insecure immigration status and most significantly that harm was caused to the public interest by the victim’s inability to seek protection or justice. Despite this, the government refused to introduce statutory measures of protection including a fire wall between the police and Immigration Enforcement for migrant victims during the passage of the Domestic Abuse Bill (now an Act) in Parliament and instead committed to undertaking a Review of the matter.
International Human Rights Day 2021 - By the WARMI collective
Today, 10 December, marks not only the end of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, but also International Human Rights Day.
As migrant women, experience has taught us that anyone can be a victim of violence, but certain traits that shape our identity, such as gender, race and migration status, increase vulnerability and restrict our ability to obtain support.
The hostile environment towards migrants, which was established more than a decade ago in the UK with the aim of reducing immigration, has led millions of people to see their fundamental rights violated. As a consequence, for example, many migrant women are not accessing medical care, because they are unsure about their rights, because they cannot afford treatment, or because they are afraid of falling into debt.
Because of our immigration status we are also often prevented from working, having to depend economically on other people and increasing our vulnerability, or having access only to exploitative jobs. It is also because of these hostile policies that, as victims, many of us are afraid to seek help from the police, for fear that they will share our personal details with the Home Office, that we will be arrested or deported, or simply that they will not believe us.
This year, according to the United Nations (UN), the theme of Human Rights Day is EQUALITY. According to article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 'all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights'. At WARMI we ask: we all have the same rights, but are we able to exercise them with equality?
We want a State that recognises our value and our rights as human beings. We want our bodies and experiences not to be reduced to stereotypes. We want to report abuse and not to be doubted. We want victims not to become suspects. We want better working conditions and the possibility of economic empowerment. We want safety before status. We want to live without fear.
We have the right to a life free of violence. We have the right to a life of dignity. We have the right to be free from discrimination, to have our culture respected, to be able to live freely in family and community. We have rights, and we are going to assert them.
Below we have created a list of what we want to change in society to achieve respect so that we can live a safe and dignified life.
- We want the British government to officially recognise Latin Americans as an ethnic minority in the UK.
- We want an active fight against discrimination.
- We want to work in decent conditions, with wages that recognise our efforts, and for employers who do not comply with the law to be held accountable.
- We want closer and stricter inspection of companies, for example cleaning companies, separate from immigration enforcement, to ensure that they comply with workers' rights and safety.
- We want more funding for ESOL classes, with availability for people working anti-social hours.
- We want for the National Health Service (NHS) to provide free healthcare for all, including undocumented people.
- We want better funding for local authorities, statutory services and specialised community organisations and fair access to interpreters so migrant women fleeing gender-based violence can safely report their perpetrators.
- We want the police to put our safety before our immigration status and not to share our personal data with the Home Office.
- We want a fair and compassionate asylum system, which protects the rights of refugees, and we firmly oppose the Nationality and Borders Bill’s creation of a tier-system, discriminating asylum seekers according to how they arrive in the UK.
- We want decolonised education that includes and respects Indigenous and African knowledge.
- We want to be at the center of the debate and decisions on immigration and women's protection laws.
Migrant rights are human rights.
The Warmi collective
At Sin Fronteras we take care of ourselves
Sin Fronteras, the LAWRS youth group, presents its first Guide to personal well-being for young women, named: "This is who we are. Taking care of ourselves".
The Guide is launched as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, a feminist activist campaign, which begins on 25 November with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This Guide is a contribution to the LAWRS campaign that reminds us the importance of taking care of ourselves as a strategy to prevent all forms of violence against women and girls.
The Guide includes informative content on personal well-being issues (such as healthy relationships, abuse and self-esteem), as well as tips, advice, exercises and resources. It also includes the voices of the young Latin American migrant girls who participate in the Sin Fronteras group, which is the result of a collective creation, compiling what they shared in the well-being group sessions, organised by the Sin Fronteras project and facilitated by the LAWRS youth counselor.
In this way, the girls of the Sin Fronteras group add their voices to the fight for the elimination of violence against women and girls, highlighting the importance of taking care of ourselves.
"Talking about these issues is very important, especially in these stressful times. It's good to be able to focus on mental health and how we are affected if we don't take care of ourselves".
Participant of the Sin Fronteras Group - LAWRS.
In our Sin Fronteras group, we know that well-being is important for our mental health, and physical and emotional growth; and this Guide is an effort to reach out to those girls and young women who need to hear this message of encouragement.
"It is important to know that you are not alone! You are not the only one who has felt sad".
Participant of the Sin Fronteras Group - LAWRS.
This Guide was prepared with love for all of them and to remind them that: you are not alone!
Special thanks to all the young women who attended the well-being group sessions. Thank you for sharing your experiences, opinions, feelings, and love, for nurturing the conversation, and for being supportive of each other.
Download here the Guide "This is who we are. Taking care of ourselves":
*Document available in Spanish.
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Join us
If you are a young Latin American woman, between 14 and 24 years old, and you want to participate in our free activities, or join our Sin Fronteras group: sign up on our Google form or contact us for more information:
Whatsapp: 07802 645001
Instagram: @sin_fronteras_lawrs
www.lawrs.org.uk/sin-fronteras/
Hi, this is Julia from LAWRS, is it safe for you to speak?
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the beginning of the 16 days of Activism. We’re kicking off a series of activities to increase awareness of the barriers and needs of the Latin American women experiencing VAWG in the UK with this blog post about the unique journey that every victim/survivor has and the support our team of VAWG caseworkers can offer them.
Being a Latin American VAWG caseworker
There are procedures and guidelines that we follow when calling a survivor of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) for the first time. But survivors of abuse have different experiences and they might be in distinct moments of their journeys. Even though we are prepared for this, what happens after a survivor picks up the phone is quite unpredictable.
Women experiencing VAWG sometimes feel there is something wrong in their relationship but they cannot quite name it. So they come to LAWRS to have someone listen to them and to perhaps learn more about violence against women and girls as a whole. Usually, once we start the conversation about the types and cycle of abuse, they recognise themselves as victims of domestic abuse. This can be a very difficult moment. What happens next depends on what their needs and priorities are.
Others come to our service fully aware of their situation and able to name it: I’m a survivor of domestic abuse. They might not be ready to leave their perpetrator, but they want to understand their options. They come to LAWRS in search of advice on different issues: how to report a crime to the police, protective orders, parental rights and consequences to their children, how to get a divorce, what happens with their immigration status, emotional support, English lessons, booking an appointment with their GP, access to interpreters and so on.
In some cases, women come to us at the point where they need to flee the house and escape the abuse because the violence has escalated. They might be homeless, destitute, in need of medical help and feeling like they are stuck in a horrible and endless situation. We explore their options together and discuss their plans.
In the Latin American community, due to a lack of support network, structural inequalities, the language barrier, the lack of knowledge of the system, the isolation and insecure immigration status, many women endure violence and abuse for extensive periods, and often until it becomes a high risk situation, because they think they don’t have other options. Perpetrators will exploit the victim’s vulnerability, including in some cases their insecure immigration status, to manipulate and further abuse them.
“If you report me to the police, I will report you to the Home Office”
“If you leave me, you will be deported and I will keep the children”
“If you don’t do what I want, I will call immigration control on you”.
Our role at LAWRS is to listen to the victim/survivor, to remind her that this is not her fault and that we believe her. We also connect them with relevant services for further necessary information and support. We walk alongside them in their journey, always understanding and accepting that what happens after that initial phone call, depends on the survivor’s needs and priorities. This means that she decides what to do with the information she now has. Women are experts of their experience; they know what’s best for them. Our duty is to support them to get there and to make sure they don’t walk alone.
Do you know how to identify sexual harassment in the workplace?
Almost every woman, trans or non-binary person you know can, unfortunately, tell you about an experience in which they have been a victim of gender-based violence – from being catcalled to sexual assault. If you are a woman, trans or non-binary person yourself, this is most likely not news to you.
Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is embedded in our society’s patriarchal structure in which men have traditionally controlled the power. It is present in all the spheres of our lives, especially in our relationships – whether they are with family members, partners or colleagues. It affects all of us, but its effects can be more harmful for those who are part of minority groups (migrants, women of colour, LGBTQ+, undocumented people, etc.).
Sexual harassment is a form of VAWG which may also occur in the workplace.
It can manifest itself in sexist practices, ranging from “casual” and seemingly harmless habits – such as a joke or a gesture – to sexual assault and even feminicide – the killing of a woman on the basis of her gender. Certain behaviours have become so normalised that, sometimes, we fail to recognize that they are acts of violence.
So, what is sexual harassment in the workplace?
It is any unwelcome sexual behaviour that creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading or humiliating working environment and which has the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a worker.
To better understand the presence of these elements, you should also take into account that:
- A sexual behaviour may comprise physical, verbal, and non-verbal conducts (e.g., texts and images);
- It doesn’t matter if the perpetrator alleges they didn’t intend to make the victim feel uncomfortable;
- Free and valid consent is key in any adult sexual contact;
- The victim doesn’t need to have a written contract from their employer to receive protection;
- When one’s dignity is affected, it may lead to feelings of shame, humiliation, fear, frustration, vulnerability; and
- A hostile environment may be intimidating, degrading, humiliating or offensive.
Can you recognise sexual harassment in the workplace?
Sexual harassment in the workplace can be a serious incident of sexual assault, but it can also be a less obvious conduct which makes you uncomfortable. It may be sexual comments or jokes about yourself or a colleague; physical behaviour, including unwelcome sexual advances – such as touching, hugging or kissing, and various forms of sexual assault. It also includes displaying pictures, photos or drawings of a sexual nature – such as circulating pornography, by email or WhatsApp, or having pictures of naked/semi-naked women in the workplace. It could be, as well, requests or demands for sexual favours, or even leering or staring inappropriately.
If you are unsure whether you have been a victim of sexual harassment, or you want to protect yourself or a colleague from it, you can ask yourself the following questions:
- Have I been exposed to a conduct of a sexual nature in the workplace coming from a superior or colleague?
- Has such behaviour been undesired and/or unrequested by me?
- Has such behaviour affected my dignity as a person?
- Has the situation created a hostile environment in my workplace?
It is important to know that sexual harassment in the workplace, and other forms of abuse of power and VAWG, are illegal – most of them punishable by law. The UK has a legal system containing rules that protect you from these behaviours, and that enshrine your rights, especially those ensuring you can live your life with dignity and free of violence.
You can promote the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace, by requesting your employer to have a clear, comprehensive policy in place against sexual harassment. In case of an alleged sexual harassment case, this policy will alert all parties to their rights, roles and responsibilities. It should also set out how to promptly and efficiently deal with a sexual harassment claim.
If you think that you or a friend or colleague have been victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, you can contact your Union’s Women Officer and/ or representative. They can guide you on what to do next. You can also contact specialist organisations such as the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS), through our Helpline 0808- 145-4909 or by email: info@lawrs.org.uk.
If the harassment is very serious, it might also be a crime. If a colleague or supervisor has sexually assaulted you or made physical threats, or you are worried about your safety, you can contact the police or the National Health Service (NHS). You have a right to ask for an interpreter when you speak to them.
Always remember that you are not alone, and that it is not your fault.
Family courts and migrant women
In 2019, LAWRS and the Step Up Migrant Women campaign published The Right to be Believed, accounting for the barriers that prevent victims with insecure immigration status from reporting abuse to the police. Among the multiple testimonies collected for the report, Katia* told us that her perpetrator 'inch by inch used the system', referring to how he used the knowledge he had of the system to prolong the abuse towards her. From our frontline work, we know that the way perpetrators exploit their knowledge of the system to abuse women is present at every stage of a victims' pathway to safety, including accessing the family justice system.
The Harm Report published in 2020 found that four main overarching barriers negatively shape the responses and outcomes for victims of domestic abuse when accessing the family courts system: resource constraints, pro-contact culture, working in silos and an adversarial system. For migrant women, these barriers are magnified by structural inequalities. They encounter multiple and overlapping obstacles to accessing redress such as discrimination, racism, hostile policies, lack of knowledge of their rights when attending court, and difficulties understanding the complexity of the legal system in the UK.
LAWRS’ service users often feel that the family courts are an extension of the abuse they sought to escape when leaving perpetrators. They feel disempowered in a system that they perceive as undermining their experiences of domestic abuse, does not provide them with tools to defend themselves in court on equal grounds, and denies them their right to live free from violence. In many cases, migrant women are discriminated against because of protected characteristics and because of their immigration status. As detailed in the Harm Report, this situation is particularly acute in the resolution of custody and child contact arrangements, as evidenced by cases of migrant women who lose custody of their children to their perpetrators, despite the allegations of domestic abuse.
Access to information and rights
A critical barrier for abused migrant women in accessing justice is the lack of understanding of the system. As part of the cycles of abuse, migrant victims are isolated and given false information about their rights. This limited access to information is critical because it prevents them from knowing their entitlement to provisions they can access when entering the family court system.
For migrant women whose first language is not English, language barriers play a significant obstacle in accessing justice. In combination with the lack of understanding of the system, women might not be aware of their right to access interpreters, a situation that puts victims in a disadvantaged position when opposing perpetrators that speak English. Moreover, even in cases where women request interpreters, these are not provided.
Recently, we supported Laura* and her child, who were denied help by the police and the local authority because of their insecure immigration status. After she fled her household, the perpetrator took her to family court. During the first emergency hearing, she was not provided with an interpreter, despite the request made by her caseworker. As a result, she did not have a real chance to make her case and adequately disclose the abuse she and her child have been subjected to. In contrast, her perpetrator had no issue in expressing himself in court. Furthermore, this situation negatively affected Laura's mental well-being. She felt utterly vulnerable as she did not understand any of the allegations the perpetrator made against her.
In addition, the judge centred the session on questioning Laura about her immigration status and whether she was applying to regularise it. The judge did not consider that Laura's irregular status is a consequence of her perpetrator's coercive and controlling behaviour, who refused to make an application for Laura and her child. This is a clear example of the adversarial system migrant women subjected to abuse experience when accessing the family courts. Furthermore, it illustrates how the lack of a gender perspective within the justice system can obstruct the understanding of a case and negatively impact those who are already at a disadvantage.
Court system as an extension of abuse
Our evidence shows that perpetrators further exert coercion and control through the family courts. This is related to the adversarial nature of the system that forces women to face perpetrators under uneven conditions. The complexity of navigating the court system is compounded by the difficulties in accessing legal aid for victims of abuse. In a number of cases, our service users have had to represent themselves despite their vulnerability, owing to imposed structural barriers and the effects of having endured abuse for extended periods of time.
Cuts to legal aid and the increased restrictions to access it have had a significant impact on migrant victims who, as mentioned above, are usually unaware of the way the legal system operates in the UK in contrast to perpetrators having the upper hand in knowing the system better than women and therefore using this as an advantage to manipulate the system in their favour.
Maria* endured more than 7 years of multiple forms of abuse. In 2020, she lost custody of her child. Contrary to Maria, who did not manage to have legal representation due to the difficulties of accessing legal aid, her perpetrator had the means to pay for a solicitor to represent him at court. Maria came to our service asking for support as she felt her voice was not heard and the abuse exerted towards her was not considered when giving custody of her child to her perpetrator.
Furthermore, as the Harm report shows, our service users face threats of being taken to court, exposing them to further victimisation, as their vulnerabilities are not taken into consideration.
Luisa* came to our service as her perpetrator used the family court as a tool to continue abusing her. He often took her to court accusing her of harassment when she raised concerns about anything related to their child. He also made false allegations against Maria’s mental health and accused her of parental alienation.
Undermining of domestic abuse in family courts
The Harm Report shone a light on the difficulties that victims face in their experiences of domestic abuse being considered when the family courts make decisions such as child contact arrangements. The evidence that informed the report shows the way that domestic abuse is minimised and not properly considered in family courts. In the case of migrant women, our experience shows that in a number of cases frontline professionals and judges focus their interventions on denying support or questioning women's legal status rather than treating them as victims first and foremost. Resulting from hostile environment policies, migrant victims are seen first as potential immigration offenders who are “playing the system”. As a result of this narrative, migrant victims are punished and disbelieved despite the fact that in many cases their irregular status is a consequence of the abuse they experience.
Pro-contact culture
In cases where the women we support manage to retain the custody of their children, abuse is further exerted through child contact arrangements. This situation worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic when perpetrators exploited lockdowns to extend abuse to victims through child contact. We agree with the report findings showing that priority on ensuring contact with the non-resident parent can risk the wellbeing of victims and children.
Since the beginning of the first lockdown, Ana*, who held custody of her child, has experienced emotional and psychological abuse through child contact. As the pandemic worsened, Ana worried that the lack of care from her perpetrator could impact her and her child's health as he did not take any measures to protect himself from the virus. Lately, he refused to share his new address with her, despite taking her child with him. Ana is scared to take him back to the family courts as he has threatened her with challenging the custody of the child if they go back to the family court, as he is a UK citizen. As the case portrays, the pro-contact culture represents a risk of extended abuse and risk of neglect of children from perpetrators.
Conclusion
In general, family courts have been shown not to be spaces in which migrant victims feel safe and can access justice. Victims with insecure immigration status are continuously told by perpetrators that they will be disbelieved and that any intervention will be focused on their legal status. This fear is not unfounded, as the evidence presented here shows. Imposed structural barriers play a critical role in aggravating the negative experiences of migrant women.
*Names have been changed
LAWRS statement on the "New Plan for Immigration"
LAWRS statement on the "New Plan for Immigration"
We have responded to the government’s consultation on the “New Plan for Immigration”. LAWRS holds a long-standing tradition and history upholding the rights of asylum seekers, refugee and migrant women. We are disturbed by the proposals included in this ‘New Immigration Plan’ and the lack of compassion in its approach to ensure people seeking asylum are protected from further victimisation. We are concerned to see that lessons from the Windrush scandal and its review have not been learned, despite the commitments from the government and the Home Office to put ‘people first’ and have a more compassionate approach towards immigration.
LAWRS agrees that the UK asylum system must be reformed to better support people seeking protection, but we oppose the proposals as we do not believe they can lead to a fair asylum system. We believe they threaten the very right to seek asylum in the UK, they will make life harder for those people who do claim asylum here and put people seeking safety more at risk.
We oppose this “New Plan for Immigration” because we believe it will criminalise and punish vulnerable people seeking asylum, including women and children fleeing dire living conditions who have already experienced high levels of abuse and trauma. We are disturbed by the Plan and its lack of evidence to sustain the actual effectiveness of these proposals.
In the last decade, the government has put in place new rules on immigration without considering the negative impacts that they would have on equality and the wellbeing of highly vulnerable groups of people such as victims of VAWG, modern slavery and trafficking. As a frontline organisation supporting migrant women experiencing abuse, exploitation and hardship, we come across the damaging effects of immigration policies and changes on immigration law on extremely vulnerable women and children on a daily basis.
While the government could have used this opportunity to conduct a widespread consultation both with people with lived experience and experts in the field, they have chosen to make this process too quick and complex, and the questions too misleading, to achieve any meaningful results. We are concerned about the lack of opportunities that asylum seekers with lived experience of the UK system will have to participate and engage with this process. This exclusion extends to the fact that the consultation is only available online and in English. Furthermore, the platform and the way the consultation is structured are highly confusing, with minimal opportunities to give substantial feedback as many of the questions are highly misleading and based on assumptions that are not backed up by evidence.
In conclusion, we strongly believe that a fair immigration system should be built on human rights, safety and dignity foundations for everyone who claims asylum in the UK in order to allow asylum seekers and refugees the support needed to rebuild their lives, regardless of their route of entry.
Read LAWRS full response to the consultation here.
Contact: dolores@lawrs.org.uk, elizabeth@lawrs.org.uk
Sin Fronteras: This is who we are
Sin Fronteras, the girls and young women project at the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) is launching its latest video:
This is who we are, Sin Fronteras. Voices of Young Latin American Migrant Women in London.
This video was created by the young participants of Sin Fronteras, in collaboration with Fotosynthesis, to amplify their voices and to share their message of social justice, gender equality, anti-racism and recognition of the Latin American community in the United Kingdom.
The video is a celebration of our diversity, identities and cultures; a wake-up call for decision-makers to act; and an invitation to other youth groups, feminists, and minority communities, to join forces and support us in our role as agents of change in the British society.
You can watch the video here:
Our voices, our message
Our voices are those of young Latin American migrant women in London.
We come from different countries in Latin America. We speak Spanish, Portuguese, and also English. We are black, white, mestizo, indigenous, we are diverse.
We live in London and our experiences and realities are different. We love this city, we belong to it, and day by day we contribute to its construction and development. We live here and we also matter, we live here, and we are Londoners too.
Our Latin American community has a lot to contribute to British society. We study, we work, we participate, we take care of others. We are active citizens, and we want our identity, diversity, feminism and contributions to be recognised.
We raise our voices to be recognised in this which is also our city.
This is who we are, Sin Fronteras.
Sin Fronteras’ participants.
Join us
If you are a Latin American young woman between 14 and 21 years old living in London, and want to participate in our Sin Fronteras group please fill in our online Google Form, or contact the Sin Fronteras Coordinator, Melissa Munz: 07802 645001 / melissa@lawrs.org.uk
IMPORTANT Covid-19 Update
Dear users,
Due to the situation generated by the coronavirus (COVID-19), our offices are closed. However, we will continue to work remotely.
We hope you are taking care of your health and that of your loved ones. In the meantime, we want to assure you that you are not alone and continue to count on our support. For updated information check our Facebook page.
For information and advice, you can contact us on the following phone and emails:
Telephone: +44 020 7336 0888
Phone line hours: Monday to Friday, 10 am – 1 pm / 2 pm – 5 pm.
General LAWRS email: lawrs@lawrs.org.uk
Violence Against Women and Girls team: referrals@lawrs.org.uk
Counseling team: counsellingferrals@lawrs.org.uk
Volunteers Coordinator: volunteers@lawrs.org.uk
EU Settlement Scheme Assistance
Free assistance for Latin American women and their families who are EU nationals or family member of an EU citizen, to obtain permanent residence (Settlement or Pre-settled Status)
Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm (without appointment)
If you are European and work or have worked in the UK, you should bring:
- Passport or DNI (yours and your dependents)
- National Insurance Number
- If you are applying for your child, you will need a birth certificate or family book
- Email and mobile phone
- If you have lived more than 5 years in the United Kingdom, bring proof of your residence (P45, P60, salary receipts, council tax)