Why torture survivors take terrible risks to seek protection
JVL Introduction
Freedom from Torture published this report in November (2022) outlining why people who have been tortured undertake long and often desperately dangerous journeys to seek protection in the UK. They also call for evidence based policy making and hope that this report will contribute to the necessary evidence.
A few days after four more people drowned in the English Channel, little more than one year after 27 people shared that same fate all thanks to the policies relating to the creation of the hostile environment; in the week that the Rwanda Plan was declared legal, it is appropriate to promote this report.
It is also important to remember that people seeking asylum in the UK are just a tiny percentage of the world’s refugees, most of whom are internally displaced or are in neighbouring countries, and just 8% of those who make it to Europe.
Of course, not everyone who seeks asylum has been tortured but many flee in fear of torture and many are professionals and have skills that we need. More importantly, all are human beings and all are individuals with lives, loves, families, hopes and dreams like everyone else. This government and much of the mainstream press would like UK citizens to forget that.
The reports summarises why some move through other countries to get to the UK and this includes being tortured: “Clients were pushed to continue travelling onward to the UK due to a lack of safety in other countries en route. Harms endured by clients and which drove them onwards to the UK included violence, exploitation, and detention; stigma and racism; destitution and the lack of access to medical and legal services; asylum denial or the inability to access asylum procedures; and the need to create distance from the torture they fled – including torture experienced en route. Respondents highlighted the particular plight of clients who passed through Libya, where torture, detention, enslavement, and sexual exploitation were the norm for people seeking asylum.”
This article was originally published by Freedom from Torture on Mon 21 Nov 2022. Read the original here.
Fleeing A Burning House - Why torture survivors take dangerous journeys to seek protection in the UK
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I was so pleased that they mentioned being able to speak English. I’ve had some serious conversations with people on Social Media and people, including friends that I actually know locally. They use phrases that they read in their Newspapers ie, they are going through safe countries, why do they need carry on to the UK? My reply is, if you were having to escape, a war, famine or torture and you had no option to stay, which Country would you aim for, Albania, Rumania or a Country that it’s second language was English? Almost every country in the world, teaches English to tts children, it’s the most used language around the world, so heading for the UK makes perfect sense. I’ve never heard ANY UK Politician mention this obvious reason.
Ask anyone, which Country would you emigrate to, if you were looking to emigrate, they will all pick either countries that speak English or English is its second language, for example Spain. Let’s make this a major part of the argument.