93 Organisations Reject Misleading Narratives on “False Allegations” and Defend Life-Saving Support for Migrant Victim-Survivors
We are aware of the BBC’s investigation into allegations of individuals facilitating false domestic abuse claims via the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse Concession (MVDAC) and Domestic Violence Indefinite Leave to Remain (DVILR) route. Any false claims of domestic abuse must be taken seriously and addressed.
However, these reports must be understood in context. They are isolated and do not reflect the overwhelming majority of applications made through this route. As frontline organisations supporting victim-survivors, we see every day the life-saving impact of this model for migrant women and their children. International frameworks recognise this model as best-practice in empowering migrant victim-survivors to escape abuse safely. Our experience on the frontline is clear: we do not see widespread exploitation, but victim-survivors struggling to be believed, facing delays, and often being left without access to safety or support.
The MVDAC-DVILR model remains the only dedicated avenue of support for many migrant victim-survivors of abuse, who are systematically excluded from other life-saving services due to the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition.
It is vital to be clear; instances of misuse are the exception, not the norm. They do not undermine the fundamental reality that migrant women require both secure immigration status and access to public funds to escape abuse. Misrepresenting this as a widespread problem risks creating further barriers, discouraging victim-survivors from coming forward, and reinforcing harmful narratives about migrant communities.
We unequivocally reject the dangerous framing that an increase in applications equates to an increase in false claims. There is no evidence to support this. In fact, research from the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s Office estimates that at least 32,000 migrant victim-survivors of domestic abuse are in need of support – far exceeding the approximately 5,500 who have accessed this route in 12 months up to 2025. The real issue is not overuse, but systemic under-provision.
Current gaps in protection continue to leave migrant women at risk of severe harm. In the most tragic cases, this has resulted in the loss of life, as seen in the murder of Harshita Brella in 2024.
The article also implies that victim-survivors who report domestic abuse and violence to charities are not genuine. This is profoundly harmful. It ignores the reality that many victim-survivors do not feel safe reporting abuse to authorities due to threats from perpetrators – of being killed, made homeless, or not believed. This fear prevents women from reporting violence and leaves them trapped as the abuse escalates.
We remain committed to working with the government to strengthen the implementation of this model, including addressing misuse. But this must not come at the expense of those it is designed to protect. We urge the media and policymakers to engage with frontline organisations and victim-survivors, and to ground discussions in evidence and lived-experience, not fear or speculation.
