Understanding Intersectionality
“Understanding Inter-Sectionality” a talk by Pragna Patel of the Southall Black Sisters. (and my comments).
At a DA training event on Thursday 8th March, Pragna Patel of the Southall Black Sisters gave us a talk on “Understanding Inter-Sectionality”.
Definition: Intersectionality is an analytic framework which attempts to identify how interlocking systems of power impact those who are most marginalized in society. Intersectionality considers that the various forms of what it sees as social stratification, such as class, race, sexual orientation, age, disability and gender, do not exist separately from each other but are complexly interwoven.
Southall Black Sisters, a not-for-profit, secular and inclusive organisation, was established in 1979 to meet the needs of Black (Asian and African-Caribbean) women. Their aims are to highlight and challenge all forms gender related violence against women, empower them to gain more control over their lives; live without fear of violence and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom. Pragna Patel is the founder member and a Director of the SBS.
They run an advice, advocacy and resource centre in West London which provides a comprehensive service to women experiencing violence and abuse and other forms of inequality. They offer specialist advice, information, casework, advocacy, counselling and self-help support services in several community languages, especially South Asian languages. Whilst their focus is on the needs of black and minority women, they will not turn any woman away who needs emergency help.
How does inter-sectionality present in their work? She stated, many of the women who approach them have experienced abuse which is exacerbated by their intersection with other strands of discrimination such as age, race, disability and religious and cultural contexts, immigration and asylum laws etc all of which impact on how the abuse is itself experienced and point to the barriers that exist to protection, equality and justice. In other words, we address the intersecting nature of social divisions such as race and gender not in a mechanical way as additions but rather, in ways in which they reinforce each other to produce a heightened sense of discrimination and vulnerability.
The main thrust of her talk was the way many Asian Women (mainly still young girls) are married off to men that have UK citizenship, in their own countries. Their Parents often take out large loans to pay for the weddings and to provide a dowry. These wives are then bought back to the UK, on a spouses visa often with some of the in-laws. In many cases these young wives are treated like slaves, abused by not only the husband but also the in-laws. They are not allowed any money, many do not speak English and are not allowed to learn English and threatened that if they try to leave they will be returned to their own Country where they will bring dishonour to their families. They tell them that they would not be allowed to remain in the UK on a spouses visa. This is very much a Cultural and Religious problem.
In many communities, women feel a very strong sense of shame in disclosing violence and in taking steps to end their marriage. But in Asian and other minority communities, the twin cultural and religious concepts of honour and shame, are often the central organising features of family life; they pose a particularly powerful barrier to reporting and exiting from domestic violence and other forms of abuse. Family honour in such communities usually rests on women’s behaviour and they are expected to maintain their honour by behaving in accordance with the religious and cultural norms of their community. Failure to do so attracts immense social stigma that can lead to social persecution and often physical punishment and even death in what are known as honour killings.
Pragna went on to outline a couple of cases that she had dealt with, where these women came to her SBS office and when the Police were involved, instead of investigating the ‘Family’, she was treated as an illegal immigrant as the husband had not bothered to renew the spouses Visa. The charges against the accused were dropped.
The way she described the problem and these cases was clear and succinct but no solution was given. When I asked, she said that we must educate and change these long held cultural and religious beliefs; the same answer that is given for FGM. In the meantime how many more young women are going to suffer? Cultural and religious beliefs are going to take a very long time to change. No good just changing in the UK. It must also happen in their own countries where these practices are widespread. Dowries are against the law in India but still happen. There are also moves to get them outlawed in the UK.
We must use the full force of the law, prosecute and imprison the perpetrators. Also consider taking away their British Citizenship and removing from the UK. We are a very tolerant Country and our laws generally fair and unobtrusive. If they cannot obey our laws then they forfeit any rights to live in our country. The victims should be allowed to stay and supported for as long as they need, including any children. The Police must be far more robust and the CPS be more supportive.
We are still failing non-British victims of domestic violence.
At last, the government will partially honour its pledge to support all women facing domestic violence. Until now, non-British women escaping violence had no right to access refuges or benefits if they were on spousal visas – and so were faced with destitution if they chose to leave their husbands, or were thrown out by them. But the destitute domestic violence (DDV) concession now allows women to apply for three months' leave, giving them access to benefits while they apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). It has taken 20 years of hard campaigning and dogged pursuit by Southall Black Sisters (SBS), and since 2007 a coalition of 27 women and human rights groups including Amnesty International, Women's Aid, Eaves Housing and Women's Resource Centre, to bring about a significant change to a small area of immigration law.
A little-known immigration rule, the two-year rule, stipulates a probationary period for all marriages to non-British spouses; if the marriage breaks down before then, the partner will be deported, unless she can prove that she faced violence under the domestic violence concession. This concession, introduced in 1999, was itself the result of a long campaign fought by SBS. Roughly 500 women a year find themselves in this position.
One such woman was Anita (not her real name), who was only 24 when she came to Britain from India to get married, and was thrown out by her mother-in-law, on to the streets of Southall, after eight months of an abusive marriage. She was given shelter by a series of strangers for a few nights at a time until she was advised by the Gurudwara to go to SBS for help. No refuge would have taken her because she had no right to public funds – an appalling situation for a woman new to this country with no family and no friends. As it happened, SBS had raised funds for women like her and were able to put her up in a B&B until she was housed by the Sojourner Project, which gave her time to regularise her immigration status.
I think the problem is that in many of these Asian and African Cultures, women and girls are considered to be of less value than men and are there for their use. As far as they are concerned, the wives have no rights and their property. What I find hard to understand is that, in many cases, the female in-laws abuse these young wives as much as the Husbands. Why? They have probably been made to suffer as much in the past, so you would think that they would want to help them.
The same with FGM, if the women in the family have had FGM carried out on them then the young girls are more likely to have it forced onto them. Again why? They know how horrendous, painful, life changing and dangerous this brutal practice is so why would they want any other young girls to suffer the same cruelty?
This is beyond my understanding and comprehension. To me this is the height of evil and cruelty and must be stamped out.
Michelle Dibble
