[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Remedi

No there is a fear of engaging with governmnet departments and authority if your previous experience of authority is to avoid it at all costs because you might end up dead. I recently worked with a family of refugees from Rwanda who were in this country completely legally. They had not accessed virtually any of the support to which they were entitled nor had they reported 26 criminal offences committed against them- including the serious assault of the 14 year old son and an arson attack on their property- because they were literally terrified of any and all 'official' bodies. Part of this fear being borne of the fact that their previous involvement with the Police in their own country had resulted in the gang rape of the Mother and the 13 year old daughter of the family.

The motivation for these offences for anyone interested was of course that they were 'illegal immigrants, coming over here taking our jobs, spongeing of us as taxpayers' etc. etc. the usual ignorant racist bull****. I ultimately also worked with 6 of the offenders responsible for the majority of these offences all of whom were between 16 and 29 and none of whom could actually point to Rwanda on a map.

Are you a solicitor ?