What is needed to ensure a successful secure reporting model for victims and survivors of all crimes and of all immigration statuses in London?
This is the core question driving this project.
Right now, we know there are significant barriers, both perceived and actual, to migrants and people with insecure immigration statuses being able to report crimes.
The purpose of this project is to develop a blueprint for a holistic, secure reporting pilot in London.
Currently involved in this project are:
- Labour Exploitation Advisory Group (LEAG) Members, including: Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), British Red Cross, East European Resource Centre, Glassdoor Homeless Charity, Kalayaan, Work Rights Centre
- Human Trafficking Foundation
- Southeast and East Asian Women Association (SEEAWA)
The project will be supported by a Secure Reporting Advisory Group, with the following members:
- Lilana Keith, Senior Advocacy Officer, Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migration
- Dr Ella Cockbain, Associate Professor in Security & Crime Science, University College London
- Meri Åhlberg, Senior Policy Researcher, Citizens’ Advice Bureau,
- Phil Brewer, Specialist Advisor to the Human Trafficking Foundation
- Catherine Meredith, Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers
- Elysia McCaffrey, CEO, Gangmasters’ & Labour Abuse Authority
We will also engage the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), the Metropolitan Police (Met) and other key stakeholders across London.
Together, we want to engage with migrant communities, enhance London’s response to exploitation and proactively alleviate barriers to reporting and engaging with first responders.
This programme is funded by the Greater London Authority.
What are the barriers that migrants, especially with particularly insecure immigration statuses face when reporting crimes?
What has come to be known as the ‘hostile environment’ has prevented migrants from accessing and trusting public services. For those with insecure or unclear immigration status in particular, reporting abuse and exploitation leads to risk and fear of being arrested, detained, deported or having their children removed from their care.
This fear, and the threat of being reported to immigration enforcement, are often used as a coercion tool by perpetrators, to keep survivors in situations of abuse. This creates a cycle.
Secure reporting (also referred to in the sector as ‘safe reporting’ or a ‘firewall’) can address this issue. Secure reporting ensures that migrant victims of crime are able to report abuse and exploitation securely without the risk of having their information shared with immigration authorities, and that agencies are better able to deliver their primary safeguarding duties.
What is this project going to do about it?
Working with partners, FLEX will be running a research programme on how to practically implement solutions to improve people’s lives today. We’ll be deploying a range of techniques, including focus group, interviews and stakeholder engagement, to get as strong an understanding as possible.
Emerging from that work, we will develop a blueprint for how secure reporting can functionally be introduced across London.
Get in touch:
Email: [email protected]