Not Protected

Date: Thu 4 December 2008

Scottish Women’s Aid and Amnesty International are organising a visual demonstration to highlight Government failure to protect a vulnerable group of women.

We believe that all women and children who have experienced domestic abuse should be able to access vital refuge services and have welcomed Scotland's national strategy to tackle violence against women. However women with uncertain immigration status (such as students or spouses) fall under a restriction called "No Recourse to Public Funds" meaning that they are not able to access services such as Women's Aid refuges.

Scottish Women’s Aid reports that last year a total of 139 women with no recourse to public funds – some having children – sought refuge accommodation and support from Women’s Aid groups in Scotland - support that the No Recourse rule means they are not eligible to receive.

To highlight the scale of this problem we are organising for 139 women to protest outside the Scottish Parliament, holding placards with "Not Protected" Come to show your support to these women and to urge the Government to adopt an appropriate answer to tackle violence against women. 139 women will be needed to take part, and men are needed to support, hand out leaflets, etc.

More about the ‘No Recourse, No Safety’ campaign