Lynne Featherstone MP
Under Sectretary of State
Home Office
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF

ML/N0045/ID
6 July 2010

Dear Lynne,

Violence Against Women

I am writing in support of communications that I have had from constituents campaigning for more effective government approaches to addressing violence against women.

As you may be aware, Amnesty International has campaigned on this issue over the last six years and point out that in the
UK alone 3 million women experience, rape, domestic violence, forced marriage, trafficking or other forms of violence each year.

Some of the most vulnerable women in our country still cannot access the most basic provision of emergency refuge because they are subject to the no recourse to public funds rule.

As a result, women in these circumstances are often left trapped with a violent perpetrator.

They may be in the UK on a spousal visa, or other temporary or conditional visas such as students, or temporary workers.

The no recourse to public funds rule is leaving women with a stark choice to either stay in a violent situation risking their health and their lives, or to face destitution.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) issued a recommendation to the UK Government in June 2008 to address the fact that their human rights obligations include ensuring that all women in the UK are able to access safe accommodation as a first step to escaping violence.

As you will be aware, in December 2009, the Home Office began a pilot project providing funding to enable some of the most vulnerable women in the UK on spousal visas, to access refuge accommodation for a fixed period of time, giving them the safety to make applications for leave to remain.

This pilot, that has provided critical and lifesaving support to women, is due to end in August 2010.

In a matter of weeks, this will leave women with no access to a place of safety.

I am writing to urge you to continue working with specialist frontline services and women's sector organisations to ensure women fleeing violence can access critical and effective support, and to confirm a permanent solution to this issue will follow the current pilot project, with no gap in provision.

I should be grateful for your response to this letter.

Yours sincerely

Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion
Read the Home Office's reply