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Women for Refugee Women

@4refugeewomen.bsky.social

4.2K followers 420 following 860 posts

We support women seeking safety in the UK to rebuild their lives on their own terms. www.refugeewomen.co.uk #WelcomeEveryWoman #SetHerFree #SistersNotStrangers

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

📣 For one week only, your donation will be DOUBLED!

Our community space is powered by the donations of our supporters like you.

It's here where women begin to heal, build sisterhood, and thrive.💜

Until next Weds 15 Oct, you can double your impact to support refugee women: tr.ee/Qf7SVq #WGMF 1/2

Her Right to Refuge: Support Women Seeking Safety – Big Give

Many refugee women in the UK face disbelief, trauma, and poverty due to a harsh asylum system. We provide a …

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Your donation could go twice as far and could provide a safe and warm place to sleep.

🏠 A safe place to call home.
🫂 Safety.
💜 Dignity.

For everyone.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Each week, we support women who are facing homelessness.

It costs around £50 to secure emergency accommodation for 1 night for 1 woman facing street homelessness.

Until next Weds, 12pm, all donations made to our @biggive.bsky.social campaign will be DOUBLED: tr.ee/oCKcQB

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Women for Refugee Women : “I don’t need to hide myself or be afraid.” - International Lesbian Day 2025

To mark International Lesbian Day 2025, Uairumue, a member of our Rainbow Sisters, shared her experience of seeking safety in the UK.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Refugee women deserve better. 💜✊

The enforced destitution of people seeking safety in the UK must end.

We call for:
👉 A return to the extended move-on period of 56 days
👉 The right to work for people seeking asylum
👉 Improved access to, and levels of, asylum support

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

As Saron told us:

🗣️ “It wasn’t what happened to me in my country that broke me. It was what I went through here.”

It is unconscionable that hostile immigration polices force people into destitution.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

🗣️ “I slept in telephone booths, on the streets and on night buses.” – Veronica

This is the reality for women who already survived serious violence and trauma before seeking safety here.

Homelessness retraumatises women. It harms their physical and mental health.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

The policy of enforced destitution actively pushes women into, and keeps them locked in, violent relationships.

Tanisha's abusive partner used threats to control her: “My partner told me I was illegal and that I could not report anything... he said he would have me deported."

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Yvette worked as a cleaner in return for shelter.

She told us, "I worked all day from 9am and she locked me in the house until 7pm when she came back. She didn't pay me anything. When I complained, she got me scared by saying that she would call the police."

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Forced destitution pushes women into dangerous and harmful situations, such as staying with abusive hosts or being exploited for work.

🗣️"I would sleep with my son on the kitchen floor. Here I was: from a successful business woman to a slave worker in England." - Mary

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

🗣️“Sometimes I would sit at the bus stop for most of the day.

People would come and go… but I would stay still. I would feel so cold.

I looked at the people on the bus and thought, ‘These people have beds, homes, light and warmth.’ When you are homeless, you feel like you are nothing.”

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

My Witness, by KM

🗣️ “I used to go to the park all the time when I was homeless, because there no one looks at you. I would go in the day, the night is not safe… I sat and talked to the trees. They were my witnesses. I told them my story and my dreams.”

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Over the years, we've supported hundreds of women who have been made homeless.

Jeancy shared her experience in a piece titled, I Am Someone:

✍️“A plate of food can give hope. It can mean a night without endless hunger... Even a slice of bread or a cup of tea, it makes you feel okay."

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

For those whose asylum claims are rejected, the risk is even greater.

Our report #WillIEverBeSafe? found that:

❌ 95% of women were hungry
❌ 87% relied on charities for food
❌ 44% slept outside at some point
❌ 25% were raped or experienced sexual violence when sleeping outside

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

This short time period would be difficult for anyone.

But for people who have just received refugee status, this is even more difficult.

Most people are banned from work and forced to survive on between £9.95 and £49.18 per week whilst claiming asylum.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

The Government had extended the move-on period - the time given to people granted refugee status to move out of their accommodation and find new housing - to 56 days.

This has now been reduced back to just 28 days.

This is not enough time.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Receiving refugee status should be a moment of celebration and relief.

But often, this is when people are pushed into destitution.

At this point, there’s just 28 days to:
👉 Find new housing
👉 Open a bank account
👉 Secure employment

And much more.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 1d

🏠Everyone needs somewhere safe to call home.

But in the UK, many refugee women are pushed into homelessness by hostile asylum policies.

Homelessness places women at risk of harm, abuse, and violence.

#WorldHomelessDay 👇

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

Today and every day, we stand up for the rights of LGBTQ+ people seeking safety in the UK.

Together we can create a world where:

🌈 Where LGBTQ+ women receive a fair asylum hearing and a chance to rebuild their lives;
💜 Where all LGBTQ+ women can live freely and joyfully.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

Uariumue shared a powerful message to the LGBTQ+ community:

🗣️ “Accept yourself, do not hide yourself because of what people think or do. At the end of the day, it is YOU. Be proud of yourself!"

We are proud of Uariumue and our Rainbow Sisters every day. 🏳️🌈💜

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

Uariumue is still waiting for a decision on her asylum claim, but hopes that she will find safety and peace in the UK:

🗣️ “I want to be open and accepted as I am . To have a partner. To look forward to my future.” 

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

This summer, she attended a Pride event for the first time!

🗣️ “I did not expect it would be so big! Seeing so many people who are LGBTQ+ and who are proud of themselves. I was so excited. It was a very, very good experience. I can't wait to do it again!"

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

🗣️ “I feel so much relief – when you’re in the closet, you think you’re not normal or you did something wrong, or like you’re cursed.

Being around people who understand you and accept you, it’s like a big weight off your back. I don’t need to hide myself or to be afraid.”

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

In the UK, Uariumue has found a community at Rainbow Sisters:

🗣️ “When I met other Rainbow Sisters, I started to realise I am not the only one, I am not wrong for trying to be myself.  I made lots of friends, from all over the world... it is a place where I made good friendships."

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

To mark International Lesbian Day, Uariumue a member of our Rainbow Sisters, shared her experiences:

🗣️ “You’re not allowed to be yourself. People are not open about their sexuality because they’re worried about discrimination, being disowned by their families..."

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

Many of our Rainbow Sisters have had to flee their countries due to persecution for being LGBTQ+ - including from countries where being LGBTQ+ is criminalised.

They came to the UK seeking safety. But often face disbelief and uncertainty in the cruel asylum process.

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Women for Refugee Women @4refugeewomen.bsky.social · 2d

Today is #InternationalLesbianDay – a day to celebrate the resilience, strength, and visibility of lesbians. 🌈🌏

It is also a day to reflect and acknowledge the multifaceted discrimination LGBTQ+ people face all around the world.

To mark the day Uariumue shared her experience: tr.ee/oCKcQB
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Women for Refugee Women : “I don’t need to hide myself or be afraid.”

Uairumue, a member of our Rainbow Sisters, shares her experience as a lesbian woman in her home country, and her experience seeking safety in the UK.

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