SOLIDARITY NOT SCAPEGOATING!
We know there are many problems in our country right now, yet the answer is not blaming people seeking asylum, disabled people or trans people, and using them as scapegoats. The answer is standing together and finding real solutions in solidarity.
RESPECT NOT RACISM!
People have a right to seek asylum. The Home Office places them in hotels while it assesses their claims. Many will be granted refugee status. Asylum seekers are people, and they deserve respect. It is wrong and racist to suggest that all people seeking asylum are a threat to women and girls.
END ABUSE EVERYWHERE!
Male violence against women is terrifyingly common. One in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. The NSPCC notes that “Over 90% of children who experience contact sexual abuse were abused by someone they knew”. To end sexual abuse and protect all victims, we must tackle root causes – a culture of patriarchy and misogyny. Only showing outrage when perpetrators are from a certain background is weaponising abuse to spread prejudice and incite violence. This undermines the safety of women and children.
PUBLIC SERVICES NOT PREJUDICE!
Years of cuts and underfunding have left public services in crisis. For example, funding for women’s refuges has been cut by a quarter since 2010. Survivors of sexual abuse need support, whatever their background, full stop. When we demand more funding, we must not set people in need against each other. Billionaires must pay.
WE WANT SECURE HOUSING FOR ALL!
Waiting lists for council housing are impossible, rents are sky high, and buying a home is out of reach for most people. No wonder homelessness is rising. Meanwhile, there are over 700,000 empty homes in England. Everyone – including people seeking asylum – deserves dignity and safety. The problem is treating housing as an investment instead of a human right.
DIVERSITY IS BEAUTIFUL!
Our society in Gloucestershire and across the UK is enriched by the many stories of people who have made this place their home. We can celebrate and be curious about what makes us different, while uniting around all that we share.
CELEBRATE COMMUNITY!
The news here and around the world can feel grim and overwhelming. We have seen violence and unrest across the country.
We choose not to answer division with more division. We hold on to compassion and remember that everyone, even those protesting outside hotels, is human.
Let’s look out for each other, celebrate our community, and come together to demand better for everyone!