The government is ensuring those in the South Asian community that help and support is still available during the coronavirus pandemic through the ongoing #YouAreNotAlone domestic abuse campaign.
Following the recent widespread discussions about women’s safety, the Government reopened its Violence Against Women and Girls call for evidence. The aim is to understand the views and lived experiences of people from all backgrounds to help shape the new Violence Against Women and Girls strategy and ensure the Government is able to protect more victims and tackle perpetrators. The #YouAreNotAlone domestic abuse campaign aims to reassure and inform anybody at risk of, or experiencing domestic abuse that:
- Help and support is available for victims and their children during and beyond the coronavirus pandemic
- Under the current lockdown rules, people are allowed to leave home if they are at risk of harm, including domestic abuse.
- If you are in immediate danger you should call 999 and the police will respond.
- You, and your children, can still access domestic abuse support services even if you are worried about your immigration status
Nadia Ali, TV and radio presenter, said,“There are many beautiful aspects associated with South Asian culture, but there are also some that can be quite damaging. Whilst going through my abuse, I allowed my husband to use our faith and our culture as weapons to manipulate me and keep me trapped in an emotionally and psychologically cruel marriage. After a while, I had the strength to actually listen to the voices in my head telling me that what I was going through was very wrong and no one had the right to control my mind, body or soul. It was time to put myself first, before my husband and the community.”
Seema Dhanak, Housing Caseworker and social media campaigner for domestic abuse awareness, has seen first-hand how the lockdown has impacted women from the community. She has often supported members of the popular South Asian women’s network group, RecommendAsian, with their own experiences of domestic abuse. She said, “In my current role, I have dealt with hundreds of homeless people affected by various forms of domestic abuse ranging from physical, sexual, emotional and financial. It wasn’t until I started supporting members of the group RecommendAsian that I truly began to understand the horrific nature of this crime, and the pain and suffering it caused the women in my community.
