Written submission from SEREDA research project, University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham’s submission to the International Development Committee enquiry into the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, based on the findings of the SEREDA research project.
Introduction
University of Birmingham welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the International Development Committee’s enquiry into the WPS agenda. This evidence was drawn from the findings of the SEREDA research project which examined the nature of sexual and gender based (SGBV) experienced by forced migrants and the mechanisms needed to improve protection and support from SGBV-related trauma. Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) includes rape and sexual assault, as well as physical, psychological or emotional violence; forced marriage; forced sex work; and denial of resources, opportunities, services and freedom of movement on the basis of socially ascribed gender roles and norms. Between 2018- 2021 in-depth interviews were undertaken in the UK, Turkey, Tunisia, Sweden and Australia with 107 service providers and 166 survivors from the MENA and Sub Saharan African region. Three further studies findings were carried out between 2022-2024, examining the experiences of forced migrant survivors living in Wales (with 13 survivors and 13 services providers), Scotland (with 8 survivors and 8 service providers) and LGBTQI+ populations across the UK (with 15 survivors and 14 specialist service providers), are also included in this evidence submission.
We will respond to the following questions set out by the enquiry with particular reference to the experiences of forced migrant survivors of SGBV:
- What can the UK Government do to ensure its WPS efforts are sustainable long term, particularly in light of global political shifts?
What are the current trends that can be observed in respect of adherence of the international WPS agenda? What role does the UK play on an international scale, and how can this be improved?
1. Recognising gendered harms along a continuum of violence- Evidence from all studies in the SEREDA project has found that the majority of respondents experienced repeated SGBV incidents inflicted by different perpetrators over time and place. Survivors outlined a continuum of violence running from pre-displacement, through conflict, transit and refuge wherein different forms of violence intertwined. An intensification of interpersonal violence was reported post-conflict, in flight and in countries of refuge with an increased vulnerability to harm resulting from immigration and asylum policies. We welcome the Government’s continued commitment to the WPS agenda and recommend that gender-sensitive programmes follow this continuum to provide protection and mitigate harm across the forced migration journey, inclusive of those who seek refuge in the UK.
2. Currently, forced migrant survivors of SGBV face continued risk of harm on arrival in the UK due to immigration policies and the precarity these policies create. Women, girls and LGBTQI+ populations are particularly at risk of further gendered violence on arrival in the UK and in the UK asylum system.
3. Gendered harm arising from conditions in the asylum system- evidence from SEREDA suggests trauma from SGBV is further compounded by conditions in the UK asylum system including unsafe, mixed gender accommodation, hostility from Home Office staff and hostile asylum interviews using male interpreters. Difficulty in accessing trauma informed mental health services was reported to further hamper recovery. Years of protracted waiting in poverty without the right to work contributed to the risk of exploitation and violent dependency for some women.
4. Gendered harms arising from other forms of immigration status- The visa conditions of refugee spouses, and of those married to lead applicants in their asylum claim, made their residence in the UK dependent on remaining in that relationship. Respondents reported partners threatening dependent women with deportation if they are not obedient. Women also reported fear of being returned to persecution by authorities or by families who feel shamed by their failed marriage. Those experiencing intimate partner violence reported being unaware of their protections, rights and entitlements, making disclosures of violence difficult.
5. Violent Dependency- Forced migrant women who joined husbands with refugee status on a spousal visa had no recourse to public funds (NRPF) and lived with the threat of deportation if their marriage broke down. They feared return to a dangerous country of origin, being shamed because of marital failure and the possibility of family violence perpetrated as a punishment for not remaining within the marriage, remaining in abusive marriages where husbands abused with impunity. We encountered stories of marital breakdown followed by return that resulted in familial violence. Women would not report IPV and if they escaped the marriage for fear of deportation, many were subject to no recourse to public funds conditions (NRPF) meaning they had few housing and support options (eg hostel places were dependent on access to welfare) leaving them open to further exploitation by friends and strangers or forcing them to remain in the abusive relationship.
5. Risks to LGBTQI+ populations- lesbians, trans women and non-binary people face additional precarity and vulnerability to SGBV compared to cisgendered and heterosexual forced migrants due to anti-LGBTQI+ laws in countries of origin, community hostility and services that do not address the specific needs of those with sexual or gender diversity. On arrival in the UK, LGBTQI+ populations report institutionalised homophobia and transphobia within Home Office systems which compound risk of violence and underlying trauma and create barriers to fair asylum assessments. Of particular concern is the lack of specific safeguarding protocols for LGBTQI+ people in the asylum estate, despite widespread evidence of the risks of gender-based violence and harassment experienced by this population.
What can the UK Government do to ensure its WPS efforts are sustainable long term, particularly in light of global political shifts?
6. Continued investment in gender equality- developing gender-sensitive programmes along migration routes, recognising SGBV extends beyond country of origin into flight and refuge.
7. Safe and legal routes- where humanitarian policies fail to prevent violence and risk of harm, it is essential that safe and legal routes are established to ensure women seeking safety are able to travel to a country where they feel they can be safe in order to avoid the dangers of making irregular crossings. Evidence from SEREDA reported the protective factor of a relative or friend in a country of sanctuary in reducing risk of further SGBV- a strong feature in women’s decisions to seek safety. Safe and legal routes should be established specifically to enable women to escape family and community violence.
8. Information sharing -Forced migrants should receive information at the first opportunity on UK laws and protections surrounding domestic and honour-based abuse and learn about their rights regarding HBA so they are able to recognise signs and risks of violence and how to access support.
9. Firewall- Forced migrant survivors are seen first as immigration offenders rather than victims and are deterred from disclosing violence or the threat of violence due to a lack of secure reporting mechanism or a ‘firewall’ between police and UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). Individuals who were refused asylum seekers and undocumented migrants were too fearful to report abuse to the police in case they were detained and/or deported. A ‘firewall’ between the police and UKVI needs to be established as a priority
10. Create specific risk assessments and safeguarding protocols for LGBTQI+ forced migrants housed in the asylum estate- in response to specific risks of SGBV experienced by this population.
11. Due to lack of coordination between police, Home Office and NGO/support services, respondents reported instances of disclosure of violence, only to be rehoused with their perpetrator due to breakdown in communication. They were also asked to repeatedly recount SGBV experiences, including HBV, to different agencies which generated further trauma. Police need better training and mechanisms for coordination with support services that specifically meet the challenges faced by forced migrants and those without regularised immigration status
SEREDA is led by Professor Jenny Phillimore in the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity (IRiS) at University of Birmingham.
For more information please email j.a.phillimore@bham.ac.uk or see the SEREDA project website Sexual and gender based violence in the refugee crisis: from displacement to arrival (SEREDA) - University of Birmingham
May 2025