Uncharted Territory Review
Progress Against Recommendations Written responses were received from Home Office, Welsh Government and Welsh Women’s Aid. The Police and Local Authorities were unable to complete the requests. The responses are summarised below according to agency.
Home Office Recommendations In our focus groups, asylumseeking women described being ‘scared’ by their initial interview and being accused of lying. Adversarial approaches should not be used in such sensitive issues as gender-based violence. If gender-based violence arises as part of a claim for asylum, the claimant needs to have a tailored interview in surroundings conducive to facilitating disclosure, conducted by a person with expertise in gender based violence. Women should be able to be accompanied by trained support workers, volunteers or other companions if they choose.
Review of progress/Response We appreciate that it may be difficult for claimants to disclose sensitive information and have taken steps to make the process gender sensitive. Asylum interviews are non-adversarial and decision-makers must ensure a claimant feels comfortable and able to provide evidence to support their claim. Women who seek asylum can request a female interviewing officer and interpreter if this would make them feel more able to disclose sensitive information. They can also request to bring a friend or companion with them to interview to provide support if there are exceptional circumstances. We do not expect claimants to disclose sensitive information in front of children and recognise the importance of childcare to give claimants the space they need to disclose relevant information. Claimants who are invited to interview, who have young children that require childcare, and who are unable to make alternative care arrangements, should contact the Home Office to discuss options available or whether the interview will need to be rescheduled. If there is a discrepancy between the information someone provides at different stages in the asylum process, we will ask about this. We will take account of the explanation the claimant provides alongside any other underlying factors including gender, feelings of shame, social standing when assessing credibility. This is covered in the policy guidance on Assessing credibility and refugee status which is available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov. uk/government/publications/considering-asylum-claims-andassessing-credibility-instruction.
21
