Hull BAME group is ‘forced out’ of its meeting place
SUPPORT NETWORK LOOKING FOR A NEW BASE
A HULL ethnic minority group which supports women from all different cultures and backgrounds are searching for a new home after being evicted last week.
The Hull Sisters group, which has met for eight years in the building, was initially told by landlords it could stay until the lease was up on the November 15, but the BAME group was “forced out with no warning”, according to group leader Sonia Jalal.
She said: “The eviction process was so painful, they were literally pushing women out with their hands. The women were crying.”
The group supports 485 women and girls to work on rebuilding their confidence and awareness of their human rights.
Many of the members have suffered from issues such as female genital mutilation, violence, domestic abuse, trafficking, poverty and immigration.
Sonia, who is desperately trying to relocate to a new building to continue to provide lifesaving services to her members, said she reached out to a number of councillors and MP Diana Johnson but feels ignored as they have had little help from either party.
“The council has no strategy for black and ethnic minority people”, according to Sonia.
Hull City Council had given the group a temporary base to use but was told if a buyer was to come along, they would have to leave.
Sonia said: “They asked us for £15,000 a year for a building that has been empty for 14 years.
“We don’t have that money – at least give us some time make ourselves sustainable.”
The group claim promises had been previously made to the group by the council so the vulnerable women and children would be protected.
Sonia said: “We don’t normally do publicity because of the nature of the problems the women are facing. If male relatives of the women see it, they will stop them coming.
“We cannot go to the mosque. We can’t talk about domestic violence there.
“We are working on women empowerment but some of the men believe that if a woman comes to Hull Sisters it will make them stronger and they will start asking for their own rights.
“Women asking for their own rights is the main purpose of the organisation.
“We build their confidence. They remove their scarfs, they remove their jackets and they dance, laugh and giggle. They are happy and can express their anxieties.
“We have worked so hard on these women by pulling them out of their isolation, they are nearly there, many of them have jobs, many of them are happy.”
Hull Sisters is currently crowdfunding through Gofundme, which you can access at uk.gofundme.com/f/safe-shelteramp-centre-for-bame-women-inhull.
A Hull City Council spokesman said: “The organisation has been offered use of council premises in the short term to assist it to address its immediate needs.
“Any longer-term response will need to be considered in the light of adopted policy to ensure that the council follows a fair and consistent approach as would be the case with any other community organisation.”