Prominent UK women tell rightwingers: stop linking immigration to sexual abuse

"Violence against women and girls is a serious and urgent issue. But it will never be solved by the likes of Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick targeting refugees, Muslims and migrants. There is no evidence that people seeking refuge are more likely to commit acts of sexual violence. Many are themselves survivors of violence, war, and persecution. Blaming them distracts from tackling the deep-rooted causes of abuse and from holding those truly responsible to account."

"They are not defenders of women they exploit violence against women to fuel hate and division, the letter says. The open letter, titled Women Against the Far Right, follows a surge in protests outside accommodation housing asylum seekers and far-right attempts to exploit a number of cases of alleged sexual crimes involving asylum seekers. Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, has sought to link government immigration policies to a rise in sexual offences."

Signatories include musicians Paloma Faith, Charlotte Church and Anoushka Shankar and MPs Kim Johnson, Ellie Chowns, Diane Abbott and Zarah Sultana. Signatories reject far-right racist claims that targeting asylum seekers protects women and girls, calling such claims exploitation of violence to fuel hate and division. The initiative Women Against the Far Right was coordinated by Stand Up to Racism and followed a surge in protests outside accommodation housing asylum seekers. Far-right figures including Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick sought to link immigration to rises in sexual offences and joined protests. Signatories state there is no evidence refugees are more likely to commit sexual violence and many are survivors; blaming them distracts from addressing root causes and holding perpetrators accountable.

Read at www.theguardian.com