Domestic Abuse Bill back at the Commons: Please take action to protect Migrant Women

Step Up Migrant Women, a campaign led by the Latin American Women’s Rights Service  and supported by more than 50 organisations standing together for the rights and protection of migrant women, are asking for our support to help make this Bill truly transformational.

You can add your voice by writing to your MP and asking them to vote on April 15^th for the amendments that will make sure the Bill gives equal protection to migrant women experiencing domestic abuse.

You can use or adapt this sample letter, developed by the SUMW campaign. Find your MP here.

The UK signed the Istanbul Convention, the international gold standard for preventing violence against women and girls, nearly nine years ago, yet we have still not ratified it. The Domestic Abuse Bill is supposed to bring the UK into compliance, but the government must take the steps to addressing the remaining hurdle to ratification –having provisions for migrant women. The three amendments needed to achieve this are:

• Clause 83: Extending eligibility for the existing Domestic Violence (DV) Rule and Destitution Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC) to all migrant women experiencing or at risk of abuse
• Clause 84: An end to the police unnecessarily sharing victims information with immigration enforcement
• Clause 86: A commitment to providing equally effective protection and support regardless of immigration status, in line with the Istan​bul Convention.

Find out more about the amendments and why they are needed

Read these powerful testimonies from migrant survivors

Find out more about the Domestic Abuse Bill

Thank you for taking action for migrant women!