Please sign the petition for continuing funding for Karma Nirvana

Posted on November 2, 2009
Filed Under Campaign, Funding, Government, North East, Women's Group | Comments Off

Dear Colleagues and Friends

re: Karma Nirvana Honour Network Help-line

I on behalf of Karma Nirvana write this letter to you with a huge sense of urgency with respect to the future of Karma Nirvana’s Honour Network Helpline. I write to you not only as the Director of Karma Nirvana but also as a survivor who still lives with the disownment like many who courageously take a stand as it is them who will suffer should they not have the line that we are able to offer.

As many of you will be aware, the Honour Network Helpline (0800 5999 247) is the only national helpline of its kind dedicated to supporting both male & female victims/survivors of forced marriages and honour related abuse. It also offers the option for a victim to speak to a survivor and often acts as the lifeline that reduces isolation, risk and offers hope that supports thousands of British victims in the UK.

It is also the line that many agencies ring for guidance and direction in an area where we know many lack confidence and nationally their remains the need to give the right response as not to can be critical to the victim. As the Government quite rightly acknowledges we are dealing with the ‘tip of the iceberg’ with regards to forced marriage cases in Britain and that all should operate the ‘One Chance Rule’ that mean you the need to give the right response. The helpline not only supports victims but agencies to achieve the ‘One Chance Rule’ and creates moral and social responsibility.

The helpline was launched with many survivors sharing their testimonies on the 11th April 2008 and within its first establishing year the Honour Network received 3’767 calls from across the UK. Sadly, some of the key findings into the helpline’s first year highlighted that statistically 11% of all victim callers were under the age of 16 and 33% were aged between 17-22 years. Our Key findings also highlighted that our peak calling periods were in the main closely linked to school holidays . Sadly many of our victims are vulnerable young people that the Honour Network Helpline is committed to reaching. The helpline has already received 3’512 calls in this financial year alone .

We at Karma Nirvana could not have anticipated the enormity of calls that we have already received. The success of the line serves to highlight the tragic plight of some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

Over the last six months, the helpline has been funded by public donations alone and although I have endeavoured to advocate for funds to ensure that the helpline is sustained this has proven difficult. It is, I believe important to note that the Home Affairs Select Committee findings into Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage and Honour Based Violence 2008 recommendations, urged the government to ensure that the Honour Network is fully resourced to be able to operate effectively. However there has been no evidence of sustained commitment that this line requires to date.

It is with this in mind that I have started an e-petition to 10 Downing Street as we at Karma Nirvana believe that this line requires statutory funding for it to continue not only its work but to also ensure that victims & agencies continue to be supported and reporting as well as confidence increases in this area of work. This petition implores the Prime Minister and his Government, as a matter of urgency, to properly fund The Honour Network Helpline in order that it can continue operate.

How can you help?

On behalf of Karma Nirvana, I write to you with a plea to sign Karma Nirvana’s e-petition to 10 Downing Street. The petition can be found at: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Honourline/

Signing the petition will only take a few minutes, but with your support in signing, it has the potential of surviving and being a ‘life saver’ to thousands of lives. I also ask that you come forward in sharing with me any ideas you may have and that you also write letters of support as it is with the greatest regret that this line will close within the next 3 months if we do not think of ways to save it.

It is with this in mind that I ask you to support Karma Nirvana in its campaign to sustain what is clearly a much-needed service across the UK.

This is often a lonely road and one less travelled in which many raise their heads above the parapet often with risk. I sincerely believe that there are many out there that will come forward to enable us to continue our work and I speak to your compassion in supporting our plea for an on behalf of the many silenced whom we have yet to reach.

With all best wishes,

Jasvinder Sanghera
Director Karma Nirvana
Author Shame & Daughters of Shame

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