Every day I work with survivors of torture, people who have suffered severe emotional, psychological, and physical violence at the hands of others more powerful than themselves.
They have fled the most unimaginable horrors, often forced to leave their loved ones or family behind, not knowing if they will remain alive or if they will ever see them again. They have come to the UK seeking safety, sanctuary, and protection.
Now, the Government’s cruel Safety of Rwanda Bill has passed, what we are seeing amongst the survivors that we work with, is the utter sense of despair as their hope for a safer future is shattered. The survivors we support have been living with the shadow of the Rwanda policy for years now.
The back and forth with the courts, the ping pong between MPs and Lords, the divisive rhetoric from some of the most senior people in power have caused untold emotional distress. Despite having lived through the most unspeakable traumas, our survivors are absolutely terrified of this Bill.
The anticipation of its passing has brought terror, for many re-opening the emotional wounds of walking into another dark room, not knowing what awaits. For many months now, I’ve seen an increase in existing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, such as flashbacks and nightmares, which force survivors to repeatedly re-live the worst experiences of torture, day and night.
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They are on high alert, waiting for danger and are unable to sleep, eat, or concentrate. The fear this policy has evoked, before a single plane has even taken off, has caused so much harm and confusion, sparking desperate thoughts of escape, even including self-harm and thoughts of suicide.
People are worried not only for themselves, but for family members and loved ones. Hopes and dreams for their futures have been dashed and they are left feeling afraid and uncertain about what their future will now hold. Even survivors who are not legally at risk of being removed to Rwanda are terrified that it might happen to them.
In our therapy rooms up and down the country, the survivors we work with have expressed their feelings of hopelessness in response to the Government’s plans. The idea that those who have fled war and torture could be forced onto a plane and sent to an unsafe future in Rwanda, a country that has a track record of human rights abuses is unimaginable.
The people I work with are experiencing such a loss of hope. And we’re bracing ourselves for the very real devastation this will cause, including, tragically, people hurting themselves. We’re also gravely concerned that survivors of torture and other refugees will start disengaging with asylum support systems because they’re so frightened of being sped onto planes.
I can’t state clearly enough how survivors who have already suffered violence, are vulnerable to exploitation and further abuse. This can also lead to increased risk of destitution or lack of access to health care and other vital services. Pregnant women won’t be able to access maternity healthcare, and people won’t be able to go to the police if they’re hurt or in trouble.
What this Government is doing to survivors and refugees is immoral. Survivors of torture deserve the right to safety and so much better than this. The resilient people I work with – men, women and children who’ve fled impossible terror – just want safety, hope and security.
They want all the things we take for granted every single day: food, a roof over their heads, to go to work and to be with their loved ones. This deal with Rwanda threatens all these basic things. And once this hope and sense of safety and security has been ripped away there really is very little left for most people to carry on.
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