Please share if you feel you can

[twirlgrrl]

http://keep5kidssafe.blogspot.com/2010/11/help-mother-and-5-children-fly-to.html

Obviously this woman's story really strikes me.

Comments

[cassandre.livejournal.com]

I just posted this comment on the website, but I don't know whether it will be "approved" for public view or not:

***
I live in the UK (I immigrated here from the US). My husband specialises in immigration issues. It is not true that a victim of domestic violence cannot get help unless she has recourse to benefits. Even if a woman's immigration status is insecure and she has no access to benefits, she is entitled to protection. See:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-survivors-handbook.asp?section=000100010008000100350002

Your friend can call the Freephone National 24-hour Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 and get a place for herself and her children in a refuge, usually on THE SAME DAY.

Going back to the US may be her first preference, but she does not need to wait for money from strangers on the internet in order to get herself and her children to safety.
***

I have a horrible feeling that this is a scam. Perhaps not, but if the situation is really so desperate, how can this woman not know about the abundant help that is available to her in the UK? It really irks me that the post TWICE states something that isn't true about UK domestic violence resources. Social resources over here are much much better than in the US, both for citizens AND temporary immigrants. If the post had only said, "She can't earn her living in the UK, she needs to get back to the US", I would have found it much more convincing. But as it is I am skeptical. This person IS entitled to immediate emergency protection if she wants it. When I typed "domestic violence help immigrants" into UK google, the site I linked to above was the very first one that popped up.

[cassandre.livejournal.com]

Oh god, wait, I take it back. :( I did some more googling and the situation is much worse than I thought. There is an active campaign going on here to get the government to ensure protection to women immigrants who are victims of domestic violence and don't have recourse to public funds:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=00010001001000020001

It appears that it's not impossible to get a place in a refuge if you don't have benefits, but places are limited and it's not automatic. I believe the poster now. I should have done more research. *is ashamed*

[twirlgrrl.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about it. I think it's natural and sane to be skeptical of such things. I posted it without investigating simply because the person who posted it originally is a longtime LJ friend of mine whom I trust. I have no information about whether she knows the woman personally or anything else. Thanks for looking into it.