Female asylum seekers report sexual assaults by British men in UK accommodation

Several women seeking asylum in the UK have described being raped or sexually harassed by British men, though many say fear keeps them from reporting these crimes to police, according to the Guardian.

One woman, who spent two years in an asylum hotel after fleeing religious persecution and domestic violence, said a staff member repeatedly harassed her verbally and physically, including unwanted touching and persistent requests for dates obtained through hotel contact records. Another woman, who had recently arrived from Iran and was housed in a hotel near Heathrow, said she was raped by a security guard there. She said she was too frightened to report the attack to police, uncertain whether they would treat her differently than police in Iran, and worried that reporting could jeopardize her asylum claim. A third woman, a lesbian from Uganda whose asylum case rested on fear of persecution at home, said that after being unable to secure legal aid, a private immigration lawyer she turned to coerced her into sex as payment for his services, despite knowing the nature of her case. All three women were later granted refugee status.

The accounts surface amid far-right demonstrations, including protests led by activist Daniel Thomas against the arrival of asylum seekers in Dover and Portsmouth, which centred on unverified claims of widespread rape by asylum seekers. While a small number of asylum seekers have been convicted of serious sexual offences and received significant media attention, no comprehensive data on crimes committed by this group has been published.

A parliamentary home affairs committee inquiry into asylum accommodation heard evidence of inadequate safeguarding, including an incident where a staff member attempted to use a key card to enter a woman's room while she bathed. The British Red Cross described a "pervasive culture of sexual harassment" at one hotel. Women for Refugee Women and Rape Crisis England & Wales both said violence against women is a systemic issue not confined to any nationality, warning that far-right rhetoric distorts the reality of abuse and creates barriers to justice for survivors. They called on the government to ensure its pledge to halve violence against women and girls extends to those in the asylum system.

A Home Office spokesperson noted that published guidance requires accommodation providers to assess risks to victims and determine necessary protective measures.