At a specialized conference titled “Gender-Based Violence in Multicultural Societies: Challenges and Solutions,” held in London with the participation of support organizations, research centers, human rights activists, and a number of survivors of violence, concerning dimensions of domestic and gender-based violence among ethnic minorities and immigrants in the United Kingdom were examined.
Findings from new research presented at this gathering indicate that women from ethnic minorities and immigrant women are disproportionately and at a higher rate victims of domestic homicide. According to data collected from police and support centers, this group faces up to 40% greater risk of being killed by their intimate partners compared to native white women. This statistic is not just a number; it reflects a double vulnerability rooted in complex and intertwined factors. The combination of structural discrimination, relative poverty, language barriers, lack of awareness of legal rights, deep fear of engaging with official institutions due to experiences of racial discrimination or inappropriate police behavior, and constant anxiety about jeopardizing residency status creates conditions that trap many of these women in a closed cycle of violence and isolation.
During the conference, the voices of survivors were clearly heard. A woman from the Kurdish ethnic minority described her experience as follows: “When I went to the police to report my husband’s threats, instead of focusing on the dangers threatening me, they questioned me more about my accent and residency status. I felt as if I were in the position of the accused.” Another, an immigrant from East Africa, spoke of social pressures and fear of “family dishonor” that had kept her silent and enduring violence for years.
Critics at the meeting unanimously emphasized the inefficiency of official support systems. From their perspective, institutions such as the police, social services, and the judiciary often lack the necessary sensitivity and training to understand these complexities. A one-size-fits-all approach, without regard for cultural and situational differences, leads to overlooking serious dangers, failing to refer cases to specialized centers in a timely manner, and ultimately depriving survivors of access to life-saving resources.
Critical gaps identified included a severe shortage of social workers proficient in various languages and familiar with specific cultural contexts, lengthy and difficult judicial processes without parallel support, and a lack of safe and specialized shelters in the areas where these communities reside.
In response to these widespread challenges, conference participants emphasized the necessity for a fundamental shift in approach and urgent action. Proposed solutions included sustainable funding and strengthening of community-based support centers run by members of the communities themselves, which have garnered the highest level of trust.
Additionally, mandatory training programs focusing on cultural sensitivity and anti-discrimination for all personnel in official institutions, from police to judges and social workers, were deemed essential. The establishment of multilingual helplines, the development of secure apps for information dissemination, and particularly the review of residency laws to create humanitarian exemptions for immigrant victims were among other key recommendations, so that these women can defend themselves without fear of deportation.
Furthermore, designing and implementing in-community awareness campaigns in cooperation with religious leaders and local media to break the silence and shift internal attitudes was stressed. In conclusion, the keynote speaker of the conference summarized the discussions by stating that gender-based violence is not a uniform phenomenon, and emphasized that in multicultural societies, this violence takes shape at the intersection of race, class, and immigration status.
Therefore, the response must also be multidimensional, based on close cooperation between the government and local organizations, and aimed at restorative justice. The gathering called for the formation of a special national task force to oversee the implementation of these recommendations and provide regular reports to Parliament.
BBC