No Recourse, No Safety DAY OF ACTION

NO RECOURSE, NO SAFETY

DAY OF ACTION

Demo: Victoria Embankment, assemble 11am

Westminster, 1pm

Most of us would like to think that here in the UK, we have measures to protect

women from violence and abuse and that these measures apply to all women,

that the law will ensure they get protection and justice. This is not the case, nor is

it an option, it is not a duty that falls on charities, we are not asking any favours.

This is a UK obligation; it shouldn’t even need to be the subject of a campaign.

Leading women's groups and charities including are calling for the government to

abolish the 'No Recourse to Public Funds' requirement and have organised a

national day of action on April 23rd in London, with a protest outside parliament

followed by a public meeting.

SPEAKERS….

· Survivors of violence who have no recourse

to public funds

· Margaret Moran MP

· Paul Rowan MP

· Southall Black Sisters

· Liz McKean - Amnesty International UK

· Suzan Malaquias - Poppy Project

· Kalayaan

· Soroptimist International (tbc)

· Islington No Recourse to Public Funds

· Network (tbc)

· Chief Inspector Steve Deehan - Met Police

Please RSVP to: kate@wrc.org.uk,Tel: 020 73243030

“What is really depressing that we can’t do anything to help. Everyone knows that these women will either stay in a violent situation or open themselves up to exploitation elsewhere. Yet we can’t provide a safe place for them. This gets you down day by day. We are supposed to help women to get out of violence but we are told not to help these particular women.”- Refuge worker

ON THE DAY… PLEASE WEAR BLACK

· Please bring a bottle of water, umbrella, and snacks (you need enough food from 11-3!)

· Be aware the demo is standing silent for 1 hour on a busy and noisy street with much traffic.

· If you are bringing banners, be aware that we are not allowed to bring them into Portcullis House, so some way of disposing of them/taking them away will be needed. Please contact us if you are planning to make a banner, as we are trying to have a unified slogan.

· If you are organising a coach party, make sure your coach company arranges a place to park, as this may need to be booked in advance.

· Please RSVP to let us know you are coming to the demo and/or the public meeting (kate@wrc.org.uk), and tell us if you have any particular access needs or if you are coming with children.

· If you can’t come on the day, there are other ways you can take action, please contact us for more information. Your support is needed.

“My husband would get back very late from working 12pm, 1am, 2am and he would drink… He would then want sex with me, because he is drunk and then beats me. Every day like this… My mother-in-law told my husband that while they were asleep, I went out to meet someone. My husband beat me. He burnt my face with a cigarette.”

“ I was subject to sexual violence a load of times… One time he is beating me up badly and I felt really, really painful. I took a shower and then he started with me. I was in pain and he had beaten me and I felt like I couldn’t stand up. I asked him to stop and he wouldn’t take no. He said that he was my husband and that he could do anything. It is a bad word but he raped me really badly."

SEE YOU ON APRIL 23rd, 11am on Victoria Embankment opposite Portcullis House!

For more information, see www.wrc.org.uk/policy/mprecourse.htm

or contact kate@wrc.org.uk, tel: 020 7324 3030