Far-right extremism is escalating, and its impact on Black and minoritised women is immediate and devastating. Imkaan has issued the following statement in light of these disturbing recent events.

“At Imkaan, we are deeply concerned about the ways in which violence against women and girls (VAWG) is being weaponised by far-right movements to spread fear, division, and hate, particularly targeting Black and minoritised communities in the UK. Our members, who work daily to provide safety and support to Black and minoritised women and girls subjected to domestic and sexual violence, are witnessing firsthand the escalating risks, costs, and challenges created by this rise in extremism.  

As Imkaan’s Executive Director, Ghadah Alnasseri, has emphasised: “The far right is increasingly weaponising violence against women and girls to push racist and divisive agendas. We must be clear that the safety of Black and minoritised women cannot be co-opted as a political tool. The recent incident of the Sikh woman subjected to sexual violence shows, once again, how survivors are betrayed both by far-right perpetrators and by the UK systems that fail to safeguard them. Ending VAWG for Black and minoritised women means tackling racism and misogyny together, not allowing one form of violence to be exploited to justify another.” 

The recent racially motivated sexual assault of a young Sikh woman in Oldbury shows with horrifying clarity how far-right ideologies are fuelling gendered and racialised violence in public spaces. This is not an isolated incident but part of a dangerous pattern that places Black and minoritised women and girls at heightened risk. We are holding the survivor in our thoughts and stand in full solidarity with her at this difficult time. 

 As Sukhvinder Kaur, Trustee of Sikh Women’s Aid, powerfully stated: “We are devastated to learn that a Sikh sister was attacked in such a horrific manner. Regardless of her race or faith, no person should have to suffer in this manner. This is the first such incident, that we are aware of, in which a vicious sexual assault had the intersection of racism. This is a dangerous precedent to have been set. Our thoughts remain with the victim and her family, who has requested to remain anonymous.  

We wish to stress that there is a live police investigation in progress with one suspect in police custody. We urge people to allow the investigation to take place unhindered so that the perpetrators of this heinous crime can be found and brought to justice.” What is seen publicly in cases like Oldbury is mirrored daily in the experiences of our member organisations, who are navigating the direct consequences of this rise in extremism.

Our members have told us clearly what this means in practice:  

• Increased threats to safety: the additional safety measures organisations must implement to protect staff and survivors. As one of Imkaan’s member organisation explained: “We’ve had to strip our website back – no staff profiles, no mention of NRPF work. It’s not just about safeguarding survivors; it’s about protecting our team from targeted threats.” 

• Racial harassment and intimidation: the racial discrimination and targeted harassment Black and minoritised communities experience when accessing support. A frontline worker reflected on the chilling effect of far-right escalation: “We’re advising women not to travel alone, not to go to certain areas. The flags, the tweets, the threats – it’s all designed to make us feel unsafe. And it’s working.” 

• Unsustainable financial pressures: the extra support needed to help women overcome fear and access the essential services they need. The resources for frontline organisations to respond safely and without additional threats are being stretched beyond limits. As another member organisation shared: “Last year we got emergency funding to cover the additional costs, like taxis and extra security. The threats are increasing, and the money has gone. We are expected to cover the cost of survival.” 

These challenges place a heavy burden on Black and minoritised by and for specialist frontline organisations and threaten the ability of survivors to access life-saving support. It is crucial that public discourse from the government, policymakers, funders and media challenges these hateful ideologies, and that policymakers and the media listen to the voices and experiences of marginalised women and the organisations that support them. It is equally important to recognise the resilience and leadership within Black and minoritised women’s organisations, whose expertise is central to shaping effective responses to VAWG. 

Keir Starmer recently stated: “Our flag represents our diverse country, and we will never surrender it to those that use it as a symbol of violence, fear and division.” We echo this sentiment, but for Black and minoritised women and girls these values must go beyond symbolism. Safety from racialised violence against women and girls is not simply a principle; it is a daily and urgent necessity. This means resourcing specialist ‘by and for’ services, challenging structural racism, and holding systems to account. Anything less risks leaving survivors behind. 

Imkaan calls for urgent collective action to address the current threats to the ‘by and for’ VAWG sector, ensure that strategies to prevent VAWG are responsive to protecting communities at most risk and adequately resource organisations who are at the frontline of protecting Black and minoritised women and girls.”