Victim of Domestic Violence in the UK on a visitors visa thrown on the street...

[KhunIanB-UK]

A lady from Thailand arrived in the UK a month ago to stay for 3 months with her boyfriend, who's an EU national, (she has a UK issued 180 day multi-entry visitor visa) with. A week after arriving he started to be abusive to her especially after drinking and has assaulted her on a few occasions, apologising in the morning and stating he couldn't remember doing it. One time that was evidenced in a photo. Today he got abusive and demanded that she leave his house without any money and he had bought a single ticket and she has not got the funds to return to Thailand.

She is now staying with a family member who is her only other contact in the UK. They escorted her from the property whilst they were on the phone to the police as he was being intimidating whilst following them and wanted to know where they lived as he was going to contact immigration to cancel her visa. The Police arranged for her to go to the station and have taken details and she will be returning there tomorrow to make a statement with an interpreter present, they have some photographic evidence and have given a crime reference number.

They were unsure of whether to arrest him due to her probably not being able to attend a court case due to Covid-19 and the length of time it's taking for cases to reach court, but due to the "freakish" nature of the assaults that he has committed it looks like they are going to take further action. She has also agreed that she will press charges and will attend court if needed. It has been a relief for her that she has people to support her as prior to this she felt she was alone and stuck with the boyfriend until he was ready for her to return to Thailand.

She obviously needs to make contact with immigration to let them know about the circumstances but doesn't know where to start and the Police were unable to help with this.

Does anyone know what her best course of action for this is? Who/How does she contact immigration?

Also her boyfriend was supposed to fund her entire trip/air fare and I would imagine that there may be a covering letter with immigration that might state this, but he has now left her without any money or a ticket to return to Thailand. Is there anyway that he can be made to honour/pay for this, even if it's via a "civil" court action?

[Elad]

Why someone would go to the trouble and expense of doing a visa, only to start abusing them, is beyond me. Hope she's ok. when you say she's staying with a family member, would that be her family (Thai)? Where about in the UK are they?

[KhunIanB-UK]

It is in the Midlands and it's a British/Thai (female) cousin that is the family member. It looks like he's a dangerous control freak and did not like it that she started to talk to the cousin about being unhappy and being slapped and bit and so decided to throw her out without any money or return ticket. She's now scared and in need of help, but at least out of his grasp now, some of the assaults have including him inflicting nasty bites which he told her he has no recollection of when he's sobered up, but then apologises for it and says he won't do it again! It's her first trip outside of Thailand and I can't understand how, as a "sponsor" he can get away with dumping her with no money and no ticket to get home, so just need to find out what can be done so can advise accordingly.

[-Keith-]

How was she allowed to check in for her outbound flight and enter the UK with only a one way ticket ?

[stevie57]

Ian, advise to try Womens aid, national organisation, been around since the 60s, they can help https://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-abuse-directory/ contact numbers on website. can help with Immigration My ex used to work for them in N Wales. another is REFUGE, .

[Dsw727]

National DA Helpline and Advance are ones I can think of.
I can’t imagine he would be made to pay for her return ticket.

As it has been domestic abuse the local authority for where he lives should be the ones taking responsibility for her safeguarding and assisting her getting home and whether that involves liaising with Thai embassy.

In terms of her visit visa her circumstances have changed but due to the DV element I think they would understand the situation and she could just attach the crime number to her next visa if she ever comes to UK again for whatever reason.
I know there are visas for domestic violence victim. Trying to get hold of immigration is a pain anyway.

He should be prosecuted/ arrested and her returning to Thailand shouldn’t be an issue as they could do a video link there if need be. I think that DJ Goldie had a video hearing from Thailand for something.

[KhunIanB-UK]

How was she allowed to check in for her outbound flight and enter the UK with only a one way ticket ?

That's what amazes me too. The flight was with Finnair. I have seen the information from the visa application and in the covering letter he says

"Flight Bookings will be confirmed when visa is approved.". The application couldn't be more simple, it only contains 1 sheet of A4 with 4 text messages on it, not dated messages.

She has been back to the police today to give a statement and they have advised to contact the Thai Embassy tomorrow and quote the Crime Reference number.



I thought it would also make sense to do a video link to Thailand for court, rather than "let him off", but they did spend almost 2.5hrs today with an interpreter from up north present for her to give a statement, so looks like it's being followed up from the Police's side. .

[KhunIanB-UK]

The application couldn't be more simple, it only contains 1 sheet of A4 with 4 text messages on it, not dated messages.

Sorry, that should have said "it only contains 1 sheet of A4 with 4 text messages on it, not dated messages, to prove contact and relationship."

[richardb]

This boils down to something very simple. How much time and effort do you expend to bring an abuser to Justice . False promises ... victim of trafficking?.... Just pay for my fare home ? Glad you are still around Richard

[KhunIanB-UK]

Ian, advise to try Womens aid, national organisation, been around since the 60s, they can help https://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-abuse-directory/ contact numbers on website. can help with Immigration My ex used to work for them in N Wales. another is REFUGE, .

Thanks for your recommendation. So far Womens Aid are the only ones that have been properly helpful, including a call with a translator. They suggested calling Citizens Advice and the Salvation Army as the situation looks more like a case of them trafficking her here and never intending for her to have a holiday or ever be able to return to Thailand.

Not only did they only provide a single ticket, but also his house wasn't "his" and had others there too, though most were relatives and all from another EU country. There was drug use at the property and when she said she wanted to go back to Thailand on 1st November the situation got far worse for her. They also asked her to bring paperwork, that if immigration would have picked up on it, they would surely have all alarm bells ringing with the single ticket too. All this for some xxxx that she helped out of a hole when he was stuck in Thailand during the first Covid lockdown and he'd run out of money!

Worse now is that Immigration still can't be reached in a timely manner, even on their report illegal activity number and using their website to report is to tricky for her. The Police say they can't speak to immigration. Citizens Advice give other numbers that there's no answer from and Salvation Army have said they will need an NRS (National Referral System) to progress anything further and for that she'll need to go back to the Police. Absolute nightmare.

[Dsw727]

Salvation Army can do that themselves as they are a first responder and listed as a designated organisation.
They can do the referral whether the victim consents or not.
Apparently if victim consents they may get help with shelter etc whilst their status is confirmed.

I think I last did training about modern slavery about 3 years ago.
I did have all the forms but think I shredded them as never used.

[KhunIanB-UK]

It's getting really frustrating hearing how one "agency" says "we can't do that, you need to speak to another..." and then end up going full circle, seems that taking responsibility and providing support is something to be avoided at all costs these days.

Contact was finally made to Immigration on their 03001232241 number, but ended up that it's only a support line, so they could only advise to phone Immigration on 03001237000 and report the crime against the Polish national and also contact the Voluntary Leave Team on 03000040202 to arrange for transit back to Thailand (and under the conditions there should be no black mark on her immigration history). Those numbers have to be contacted tomorrow,but there's the Refugee and Migrant Centre which are open on a Thursday to contact, first and next, the Rights of Women support line 02074907689. Mon & Thu 10:00-13:00 14:00-17:00 *Immigration Law advice and support.

At least she's getting somewhere now though, shame the Police haven't got back to her and replied to a message sent to them

[richardb]

Hi Ian , I hope you and yours are well. Re reading the thread I think you should "give up" on contacting UKVI ( what can that achieve ) and focus on he NRM
https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/mod...-adult-victims. One the NRM kicks in it is a truly rolls Royce service. You live in Brum your lawyer is in London. Lets get a cab: client support workers all get driven down and no worries about the cab waiting outside the ( mine actually ) office. It can also take a long long time to come to a probable grounds then a conclusive grounds decision. I am a tad cynical about the NRM not its aims but its implementation. Get that referral in Ian and let them take over. Richard

[KhunIanB-UK]

Thanks Richard, Coventry Migrant and Refugee Centre (CMRC) have been the only godsend through this. The Northamptonshire Police have been a nightmare. There has been a lot going on, but she is nowhere closer to getting home, the Police will not communicate with the CMRC and the perpetrator has not even been questioned. The Salvation Army wouldn't do anything without an NRM and so I will pass on what can be done about this, thanks.

Yesterday she had a follow up update call with the Police and an interpreter and the only information they gave was that they had not yet contacted the perpetrator, that they are busy and have a lot on and are not even sure a criminal offence has been committed, at which time they did admit that an assault is a criminal offence. Lazy bunch of racist ignoramuses never sprang to mind!