Controversial asylum fast-tracking rules mean torture and trafficking survivors are at greater risk of being wrongly sent back to danger, Shabana Mahmood has been warned. The Home Secretary faces calls to pause a streamlining of the interview process which means some people only get one opportunity to make their case. Campaigners say traumatised victims often need more time to open up about what they have gone through.
Survivor calls changes 'devastating'
One trafficking survivor told The Mirror the changes will be "devastating" for people like him. The Helen Bamber Foundation and Freedom From Torture have called on the Home Office to rethink the new system, which came into effect on August 3.
The Home Office says it will be able to identify cases that are unlikely to succeed without multiple assessments. But the charities claim this will lead to flawed decisions and lead to further appeals further down the line. They also fear most asylum seekers will have no access to legal advice before their screening interview - meaning it is very unlikely they will understand the process and what they need to do.
Charities warn of wrongful refusals
Kamena Dorling, director of policy at the Helen Bamber Foundation, said: "You cannot expect a survivor of torture or trafficking to disclose the most painful experiences of their life in a single interview. Many people arrive in the UK terrified, traumatised and deeply distrustful of authority. For survivors, disclosure is often a gradual process that takes place over weeks or months, not hours.
"These changes risk creating a system where people are refused before they have had a real opportunity to explain what happened to them or provide evidence of the harm they have suffered."
Under the new rules, laid before Parliament in July, some asylum claims will be determined without a separate substantive refugee interview. Both charities have written to the Parliament's Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee saying the new system could increase the risk of wrongful refusals.
Government urged to prioritize safety over speed
Sile Reynolds, from Freedom from Torture, said: "The government should be capable of deciding asylum claims more quickly – it’s in no-one’s interest for survivors to be stuck in a backlog, unable to heal, work and move on with life. But the safety of the process and the quality of the decision must not be sacrificed in the pursuit of speed, or we run the risk of sending refugees back to torture and persecution.
"The government is already getting it wrong in too many cases leading to an outrageous backlog at the appeal courts. We all want to see an end to the chaos and harm inflicted on those seeking sanctuary in the UK but this must not be at the expense of fairness and justice."
And Chris, a survivor of trafficking supported by Helen Bamber Foundation, said: "Based on my own experience as a survivor of trafficking, these changes would be devastating. They would close the window for some people seeking asylum to tell the truth about what has happened to them.
"We are human beings, and before we can talk about our trauma, we need to feel safe and be able to trust the person asking the questions. The first interview happens very soon after arriving in a new country, when you don't know anyone or understand what will happen next.
"Many survivors are living with trauma, memory loss, fear and shame. You cannot switch off that trauma on demand. It takes time to build enough trust to speak about experiences like trafficking and exploitation, and many people only feel able to disclose what happened little by little."
A Home Office spokesman said: "We would reassure victims and survivors of these horrific experiences that their asylum claims will continue to be examined under the standard process.
"Merged registration is only intended for a limited number of claims from safe countries, where there is no realistic prospect of a claim being granted. This will help deliver quicker decisions, reduce lengthy periods of uncertainty, and ensure protection is granted swiftly to those who genuinely need it."
