A LEADING domestic and sexual abuse charity is ramping up campaign efforts ahead of a historical Parliamentary debate that will aim to make culturally appropriate training mandatory for the police when dealing with black victims of abuse.

Sistah Space, who specialise in supporting African heritage women and girls who experience gender-based violence, have been at the forefront of efforts to have their experience of dealing with racism and misogyny from the police and other government bodies legally understood. 

Singer-songwriter FKA Twigs is promoting a campaign by Sistah Space encouraging people to lobby their local MP to support Valerie’s Law.

Click here to lobby your MP

The charity first reached notoriety when they launched a campaign for black victims in their care to still have a “safe space” to go when they fought back against eviction by Hackney Council last year.

Most recently they garnered nationwide support from politicians and celebrities to amass over 100,000 signatures to see Valerie’s Law debated in Parliament next week.

Ngozi Fulani, the CEO of Sistah Space, told The Voice that their “first-hand knowledge of the historical backdrop” to black victims’ plight is crucial to what they face in an “inherently racist system.”

Through Valerie’s Law, the charity hope to be part of making culturally appropriate training mandatory for police and other agencies to tackle the inequalities that black victims of domestic and sexual violence face.

The law, which is named after Valerie Forde, was first put forward by Sistah Space after the mother-of-four was violently murdered along with her baby daughter by her ex-partner in March 2014.

Ms Forde alerted the police to ongoing threats her ex-partner made to herself and their family, but after he threatened to burn down their home down, the police recorded the incident as a threat to property and not a threat to life. 

According to research by Sistah Space, despite 86% of black women becoming a victim of domestic or sexual abuse or know a family member who has been assaulted, just 57% of victims said they would consider reporting an offence to the police.

A further 85% of victims said they didn’t feel as supported by non-black domestic violence advisors due to a lack of cultural understanding.

The landmark debate, held just three days before the anniversary of Valerie Forde’s death, is being backed by calls from Sistah Space urging for people to contact their local MPs about the legislation.

MPs including Diane Abbott, David Lammy and Abena Oppong-Asare have all publicly expressed the need for Valerie’s Law to be implemented, along with motor sporting legend Sir Lewis Hamilton.

Ms Oppong-Asare MP, who first raised the importance of Valerie’s Law in the Commons, previously told The Voice that the government’s response had “not been good enough” and that she was pushing ministers “to take action” about the law.

“I am proud to be supporting the campaign to introduce Valerie’s Law – which would introduce mandatory training for the police and other agencies when dealing with domestic abuse against black women and girls,” she said. 

“The shocking murder of Valerie Forde shows that the police need to do more to help Black women experiencing domestic abuse – and sadly evidence from Sistah Space shows that many other black women do not trust the police to treat them fairly…We will not stop until we achieve these vital reforms.”