1. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
Addressing the needs of Woman and CYP from Black and Minority Ethnic groups
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

2. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
Shakti Women’s Aid 57 Albion Road Edinburgh EH7 5QY
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

3. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
Shakti Women’s Aid
A voluntary organisation which offers information and support to Black Minority Ethnic women and their children, and young people experiencing and/or fleeing domestic abuse from
Their husbands/partners
ex-partners
and/or other family members within a household
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

4. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
Facts and Figures
Established 1986
24 Staff
24 Languages
Outreach Service in Fife, Stirling and Dundee
: ? Women and ? Children
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

5. Domestic Abuse and BME women
Black Minority Ethnic Women have similar experiences of abuse as women from other groups.
There are culturally specific forms of abuse.
The way in which this group of women is treated by service providers is different.
On average, a BME woman goes to 17 agencies before receiving the help that she needs.
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

6. NO ACCESS JOURNEYS OF ABUSED IMMIGRANT WOMEN
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

7. No Recourse to Public Funds
Applies to individuals subject to Immigration Control
Time bound
Dependent on nationality and nature of visa (if any)
Limits access to public funds and publicly funded services
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

8. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
NO Access to Benefits
Income support
Family credit
Child benefit
Council tax benefit,
Housing benefit
Income-based jobseeker's allowance
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

9. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
NO Access to Housing
Council provided temporary and permanent accommodation
Housing Benefit-funded refuge space
New rules around access to housing benefit for EU citizens
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

10. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
What is She entitled to?
Make an application for a section 12 Social Work (Scotland) Act payment from Social Work Department
Make an application for accommodation and support costs using 22 and 25 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 if she has dependent children
Make an application for housing to a housing association
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

11. What is She entitled to? (cont)
Apply for Legal Aid
Apply for Contributions-based Job Seekers’ Allowance
She is entitled to work (subject to visa regulations)
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

12. 2-Year Domestic Abuse Rule: Indefinite Leave to Remain
Applies to women legally present in the UK on a 24/27 month spouse visa or as unmarried partner of a person settled in the UK.
Applies to those whose relationship breaks down because of domestic abuse during this period.
Women need to provide evidence for application to be successful
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

13. Issues For Support Agencies
Number of women with NRPF accessing domestic abuse services is increasing
In 2013/2014 Shakti supported ? women
Becoming difficult to access funds under Sections 22 and 25 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995
Women’s Aid groups unable to sustain the cost of accommodation
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

14. Issues for support agencies (cont)
Difficult to engage, hard to reach.
More intense practical support required.
Lack of services for year olds
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number

15. Registered Scottish Charity Number SC 008837
Questions
Registered Scottish Charity Number SC
Shakti Women’s Aid is a company limited by guarantee registration number