Ruth Mullen reports on a lacklustre response to the plight of migrant women who suffer domestic violence—the draft Domestic Abuse Bill
Legislation introduced in 2002 acknowledged that migrant women often face a stark choice between staying in an abusive relationship or being deported. To date, only migrant women who are in the UK with Limited Leave on the partner route are eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain.
If they can show that they are destitute, then the exorbitant Home Office fee of more than £2,000 will be waived. If they meet the means tested requirements for legal aid, they will be entitled to free legal representation. If not, however, they will be subject to private legal fees ranging into the thousands and that does not include the Home Office fee.
Expanding definitions
The draft Domestic Abuse Bill promises new protections with the statutory definition of abuse being extended to include the subtle forms of coercive and controlling abuse that many victims experience. It also acknowledges that abuse is not limited to couples.
