A BLACKBURN domestic violence charity is one of over 70 organisations and individuals from around the country to have written to the home secretary with warnings on how the lockdown may affect abuse cases.

The letter to Priti Patel particularly focuses on the danger posed to women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and urges the government to take urgent steps to reduce potential harm to women from African, African-Caribbean and Asian communities.

The organisations, including Blackburn’s WISH Centre, are calling for more initiatives to support women from such backgrounds, more provision of “safe spaces” during lockdown and support for grassroots organisations that know best how to meet these women’s needs.

The letter, signed by the WISH Centre’s chief executive officer Shigufta Khan and Lancashire BME Network chief officer Naz Zaman amongst others, said: “The scale of this imminent crisis is illustrated by calls to mainstream charity helplines.

“Refuge, for example, reported a 700% increase in just one day and the national ‘honour’ abuse helpline run by Karma Nirvana have seen increases by up to 200% during a time that is usually a ‘low reporting season’.”

It added: “What these figures do not fully capture are the children, young people, women, and men of Black, African, Asian and other minority ethnic heritage communities suffering in silence from abuse excluded from the mainstream agenda.”

Other signatories to the letter include charity professionals, former senior police officers and professors in law and criminology who all share expertise and experience in these matters as well as survivors of domestic abuse who wished to remain anonymous.

They claim that women from minority ethnic backgrounds are particularly at risk from so-called ‘honour’ abuse, such as forced marriage, female genital mutilation and child marriage And that cultural ignorance on the part of mainstream charities and public services can contribute to failure to address these issues

They also believe that with specialist charities funding hit by the pandemic crisis and the lockdown preventing those in danger from leaving their homes, such crimes are likely to increase.

The letter said: “We recognise the scale of the challenge that the Government is facing.

“However, by taking bold action now to recognise these ‘hidden’ victims, you can save countless lives.”