Funder

New name and strategy | Smallwood Trust
Start date

August 2022
End date

July 2025

Partners
Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid, Red Cross, Baobab, Roshni and Refugee & Migrant Centre 

Securing better outcomes and improving support for survivors of domestic abuse in Birmingham who are subject to No Recourse to Public Funds

Some of the most vulnerable domestic abuse victims are being forced to stay with their abusers or face homelessness and destitution because they can’t access public funds to flee

QuoteReference: Report by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner (October 2021)

For many migrants their immigration status is reliant on their partner, which can give the partner opportunity to hold power over their spouse, leaving them open to domestic abuseAbusers are using victims’ insecure immigration status to coerce and threaten that they will be deported if they go to the police and in some cases perpetrators use or destroy immigration documents to control victims, and statutory services often lack the knowledge and skills to support them.

Migrants experiencing these situations can be supported by many agencies in areas ranging from legal support to housing. However this process isn’t always smooth and could be improved. 

This project aims to improve the process of support for survivors of domestic abuse (DV) in Birmingham who are subject to No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and secure better outcomes through the formation of a network of frontline organisations which aims to:

  • Ensure DV survivors with NRPF in Birmingham are receiving a full and holistic level of support from all agencies and that their rights and entitlements are being met

  • Sharing information and insights within the network to improving systems and increase the understanding of bodies who work with migrants in these situations 

  • Work better with partner organisations to improve the experience of people in these situations 

Watch the video to see how the Domestic Violence Immigration NRPF Network helped Ayesha