HOW WE WORK
HOW WE WORK
RISE TOGETHER
is a collaborative crowdfunding campaign by five leading Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) organisations working on tackling violence against women across the UK. GMSP, supported by I.G. Advisors and Social Misfits Media, has been working closely with these organisations in supporting the development of their long-term fundraising and communications skills, whilst also directly funding each organisation.
Since 2012, 50% of shelters in the UK for BAME women have been forced to close due to government funding cuts.
BAME women confronting violence face additional hurdles in seeking help and protection. Around 40 per cent of BAME women live in poverty. Most have no disposable income of their own. Some lack education while others may have an unclear immigration status. Some cannot communicate with those outside their community because they do not speak English. Cultural constraints or family-enforced isolation leaves many women cut off from mainstream society. All these factors and more mean that BAME women are not adequately equipped to escape abusive situations.
Those who do seek help from police or protective agencies are often met with a lack of understanding of their cultural contexts. Others have experienced racist attitudes. In addition, since 2012, 50 per cent of BAME shelters have had to close down due to cuts in government funding. With nowhere to turn, BAME women who are struggling with violence and abuse are finding themselves increasingly isolated and more vulnerable to harm.
Supporting BAME women across the country calls for a collaborative approach, where organisations providing services to BAME women work together to raise awareness and help one another.
In this spirit, five BAME organisations in the UK have joined forces to combat violence against women through the #RiseTogether crowdfunding campaign. The organisations are Apna Haq, Ashiana Network, IMECE Women’s Centre, Latin American Women’s Aid (LAWA) and the Latin American Women’s Rights Service LAWRS.
These organisations work tirelessly to ensure that women who face discrimination and marginalisation receive support that is relevant and efficient, that understands their culture, language and needs. Through the funds raised by #RiseTogether, the organisations plan to build their own teams and capacity so they can help more women across the country