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The UK government’s conflicting agendas and ‘harmful’ immigration policies: Shaping South Asian women’s experiences of abuse and ‘exit’

In the context of the UK government’s immigration policies, this article argues that the secondary nature of gender equality compared to the UK government’s multiculturalism and assimilation agendas has directly impacted on South Asian women’s experiences of family abuse. By drawing on the experiences of 11 Pakistani Muslim women, this article explores the manner in which immigration rules can equip perpetrators of abuse with a powerful tool of oppression, where women can be faced with threats of deportation, or be left economically destitute when leaving an abusive relationship. This article also elucidates the overlooked experiences of UK-domiciled women of South Asian heritage with husbands on a spousal visa who are also being adversely affected by these policies. By acknowledging the hidden nature of abuse, and the economic dependency that characterises women’s experiences of abuse, it is argued that the UK government must critically evaluate its immigration policies.