I went to the meeting last night, it was very well attended, close to SRO I think.
They handed out some stuff obtained under FOI about the number of DV applications over the last 3 years, successful applications, fee-excused applications, and so on.
In the same FOI, the govt also admited to using 'internal guidance' that can't be released due to public well-being, which stunned me. Not the part about the public well-being, but that they might be violating the law.
Anyway, the advocacy side is going for the position that AT LEAST the victim's 1st night in a refuge ought to be exempt from the restriction on access to public funds. Possibly the 1st and 2nd night's shelter. So they are going to try to get the government to agree to that. Christ, a bogus asylum seeker who sprints through the Eurotunnel gets better treatment.
Anyway, the Southall Black Sisters are leading on this one.
http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk/Strange name. The ones who were there weren't black. But it was all women except for me and a barrister from the Camden Law Centre. If you get involved, please let me know or drop a note here!
