We’re not doing enough to stop domestic violence against minority ethnic women

By Senay Nihat

Policies that address minority ethnic communities are never without controversy, and there are important reasons for hesitating before we target policy at one section of society. However, in aiming to provide fair services and protection to all sections of society, we must recognise that women from minority ethnic communities may be less able to seek help and that in certain circumstances they may be at greater risk.

The government is right to recognise that specialist services are not inherently incompatible with the equality agenda. Taking the first steps in leaving an abusive home requires great courage in itself. Women who have begun that difficult process deserve our support when it comes to complications such as a language barrier, the denial of public funds due to immigration status, their financial dependence on the abuser, or a fear of shame in the community.

Minority ethnic women do not need a parallel justice system, but they often do need help getting a foot on the ladder. It is also an uncomfortable fact that particular forms of abuse, such as female genital mutilation and ‘honour’-based violence, seem to be more prevalent in some communities than in others.

In the form of the Forced Marriages Unit and the FCO’s work in raising awareness abroad, there is some commendable work already underway. Yet only 1 in 10 local authorities currently provide services for minority ethnic women. The £3.5m for domestic violence charities recently announced by Jacqui Smith is a start, but there is much more work to be done.

It is unsettling that engagement on the issue of domestic violence has sometimes met with local resistance. The Home Affairs Select committee’s 2008 report on domestic violence in ethnic minority communities noted with alarm that a number of schools and local authorities have resisted displaying information, perhaps for fear of giving offense. Karma Nirvana, a charity set up by forced-marriage survivor Jasvinder Sanghera, has also expressed disappointment at the hostility of community leaders to their work.

The central battle, of course, lies within communities themselves. Here, there is a danger that broader social policy can have unhappy consequences. Empowering minority ethnic communities can reinforce rigid corporate identities, and can fuel a demand for unity. There becomes little room for dissent as the honour or standing of a group is prioritised over individual needs. In this climate, to speak up is to betray your community.

Preventing and dealing with domestic violence should be our first priority. And the sooner we all accept that an effort to protect the vulnerable is not a deliberate threat to cultural unity, the better.