Panic room woman challenges bedroom tax

[citizenB]

 

A woman whose council home has been fitted with a secure panic room to protect her from a violent ex-partner is going to court on Wednesday to challenge the government’s so-called bedroom tax.

 

The work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, has refused to withdraw the demand despite losing an earlier attempt to have the test case dismissed.

 

The woman, who lives in a three-bedroom property with her 11-year-old son, has been the victim of rape, assault, harassment, stalking and threats to kill at the hands of her former partner. She is not being identified.

 

 

The high court in London will hear her lawyers argue in a judicial review challenge that the tax is discriminatory and will have a devastating impact on A and her son. They will claim that it has a disproportionate effect on victims of domestic violence, most of whom are women.

 

A women’s refuge charity has spent thousands of pounds at A’s property reinforcing window frames and the front door and making the back garden more secure. A panic space has been installed, with alarms linked to the police station.

 

The woman’s housing benefit has been reduced by 14% because of the bedroom tax policy.

 

 

 

 

Full story : - http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/nov/18/panic-room-woman-challenges-bedroom-tax

[*RainbowTears*]

Gawd blimey, surely common sense must prevail here!!

 

This woman & her child, have been through way too much already at the hands of an Ex. So I understand her need for this panic room, as its installed for her own safety, security & no doubt mental health well being....

 

The Council involved should have exceptions, especially in this type of situation.

 

All they are doing is making her life more stressful, when she's been through enough already!!

[Nystagmite]

I hope she wins. The bedroom tax was very badly thought through.

 

Can someone please explain this "panic / sanctuary room" for people who have been abused by a former partner, please?

[Conniff]

Why waste all this money on a silly panic room, if this person has done these things, then arrest him.

 

You can bet your life there is something political behind this.

[Nystagmite]

 

The Council involved should have exceptions, especially in this type of situation.

 

The only exception is for disabled children. There are currently no other exceptions.

[Chester6]

Why waste all this money on a silly panic room, if this person has done these things, then arrest him.

 

You can bet your life there is something political behind this.

Because sometimes there's no evidence or the person is out on bail or many other reasons so people need a room they can be safe in if anything terrible was to happen

[Chester6]

I hope she wins. The bedroom tax was very badly thought through.

 

Can someone please explain this "panic / sanctuary room" for people who have been abused by a former partner, please?

what is there you need explained?

[Conniff]

Because sometimes there's no evidence or the person is out on bail or many other reasons so people need a room they can be safe in if anything terrible was to happen

 

Which is only of any use should you have warning of him coming.

 

Someones been watching too many silly movies.

[Chester6]

Which is only of any use should you have warning of him coming.

 

Someones been watching too many silly movies.

 

Of use when you see something suspicious or someone's in your home and other reasons

Your comment about movies is silly and irrelevant

[*RainbowTears*]

This woman's ex sounds like a right nightmare & we do not know the complete back story to her situation.

 

But the story, quoted above says she is in fear for her life & that the ex is extremely violent & has committed the most horrific crimes against her.

 

So I would guess, that the ex may have been arrested & put in prison at some point. This ex could be due for release or may even be already released & could be actively searching for her possibly for revenge or to finish what they started. We do not know the specifics, but there have been cases off this before.

 

So the Panic room & Police panic alarms, were installed for her peace of mind & safety, just in case.

 

I myself, have been the victim of DV & I had him arrested, as he was extremely violent & volatile. (He was not imprisoned).

 

For my safety & my son, we moved far away, so I could not be found & even changed surnames of my child at the time.

 

Luckily he never found us.

 

So I emphasise with this woman & her child, it's a very horrible situation to live with & she has taken all the precautions she can to protect herself & her child.

 

I do hope the Council involved make an exception in this case.

[sadone]

Of use when you see something suspicious or someone's in your home and other reasons

Your comment about movies is silly and irrelevant

 

To say nothing of borderline ignorant imo.

[Conniff]

Of use when you see something suspicious or someone's in your home and other reasons

Your comment about movies is silly and irrelevant

 

 

What you are suggesting is that every little sound she grabs the kids and runs upstairs and locks herself away. What happens while they are asleep or curled up watching tv, do you honestly think that if someone wanted to harm her he would knock on the front door and introduce himself, no, he would break in or at least gain entry quietly. There just wouldn't be time to grab the kids and run upstairs and then how long do you stay there?

 

 

A waste of taxpayer money.

[sadone]

A waste of taxpayer money.

 

In your opinion, but not everybody's thank god. But then I'm suspecting you've never been on the receiving end of domestic abuse?

[think about it]

What you are suggesting is that every little sound she grabs the kids and runs upstairs and locks herself away. What happens while they are asleep or curled up watching tv, do you honestly think that if someone wanted to harm her he would knock on the front door and introduce himself, no, he would break in or at least gain entry quietly. There just wouldn't be time to grab the kids and run upstairs and then how long do you stay there?

 

 

A waste of taxpayer money.

 

I'm utterly astonished...

 

It's clear that you've never been in a home where one of these is fitted and that you've never been in a situation where one is necessary.

 

Is it not blatantly obvious to you that even if this excuse for a man had broken in then having somewhere perhaps for at least the children to take refuge is valuable? However, it's clear that the Harry Potteresque 'cowering in a cupboard under the stairs' is far more appealing to you.

 

Having somewhere safe to escape to is only part of the suite of facilities that the police and social services will have introduced, there'll also likely be wristwatch style panic alarms, cctv and a direct line to the police. In this day and age where we readily accuse the police and social services of doing too little do you honestly consider this to have been an enterprise they'll have entered into on a whim?

 

Astonished...

[Mcall]

I agree with Coniff, in theory (as none of us I'm assuming actually know this woman?) it sounds like an expensive Hollywood solution. Surely if she is in that much physical danger the perp should be arrested or relocated to another part of the country? If she is forced to move out then the chances of someone else needing a "panic room" is pretty small, so what a waste of tax-payers money when people are forced to use food banks, etc. I think there is definitely a political leftfootforward agenda here, funding especially "hard" cases to challenge the spare room subsidy that doesn't exist for housing benefit in the private sector.

[think about it]

Mcall, there's more at play here. Firstly, you can't indefinitely imprison someone because they pose a threat - I'd like to think we could, but no. Having been in a house with a strong room there's little to distinguish it from any other at first appearances. Only on closer inspection are the panic alarm switches, much heavier door / frames / locks and re-inforced walls visible. As such there's nothing preventing that room being used just like any other, it simply needs to be available as a refuge - so having a lodger in there isn't going to work very well. The one I was familiar with also had some other facilities in there should a longer stay be required, so food and drink, porta potty etc.

 

Likewise, there's no reason why the people affected should uproot their lives against their will and move to another part of the country, tell me, what's more expensive; 14% of someone's housing benefit or a full blown 'witness protection' style move with the upheaval on the children, identities and finding new property etc. Why should the lady in this instance be punished for being a victim by being made to potentially leave a P/T job, remove kids from school and so on if she can be made safer in her own place?

 

A 'leftfootforward' approach as you put it funds these difficult cases where it seems politicians and decision makers are wholly incapable of exercising discretion in unusual cases. Again, what's more expensive? 14% of this lady's HB or a huge drawn out case to battle a flawed point? Yeah, put that money into your food banks...

[Nystagmite]

Conniff - can I suggest you Google Claire's Law and Claire Woods (the reason for the law, very sad case)

 

Having read the post above me, it now makes more sense. So thanks for that.

[Conniff]

So I emphasise with this woman & her child .....

 

 

And so do I, completely. Suggestions that I 'must' be wrong because my view don't match theirs is nonsense.

 

 

They can't take their strong room with them shopping or holiday or even for a walk in the park, so what happens then.

[Nystagmite]

It doesn't sound like you empathise with her?

[Chester6]

I agree with Coniff, in theory (as none of us I'm assuming actually know this woman?) it sounds like an expensive Hollywood solution. Surely if she is in that much physical danger the perp should be arrested or relocated to another part of the country? If she is forced to move out then the chances of someone else needing a "panic room" is pretty small, so what a waste of tax-payers money when people are forced to use food banks, etc. I think there is definitely a political leftfootforward agenda here, funding especially "hard" cases to challenge the spare room subsidy that doesn't exist for housing benefit in the private sector.

You don't know and you don't even bother trying to understand And you add in a pointless attack against the left

[Chester6]

In your opinion, but not everybody's thank god. But then I'm suspecting you've never been on the receiving end of domestic abuse?

Exactly

Plus there's no understanding of what it's like to be scared for your safety and your life

[Mcall]

You don't know and you don't even bother trying to understand And you add in a pointless attack against the left

 

Somewhat harsh and judgmental, dear Chester! Clearly I've hit a nerve and you are one of these leftist types who takes any differing view as a personal attack and responds ad hominem to shut down debate.

[think about it]

What's frightening about this is indeed the cost.

 

A bit of digging shows that the 14% in this case amounts to a little over £605 a year.

 

A quick google shows that if a council spent £46,000 on a judicial review about planning permission http://www.alderleyedge.com/news/article/3381/judicial-review-costs-council-46000 then I dread to think what this is costing Westminster.

 

In the unlikely event that this case only ends up costing £46,000 to argue then the 14% shortfall could have been paid for 76 years...

[sadone]

Exactly

Plus there's no understanding of what it's like to be scared for your safety and your life

 

Ah, but imo this is what this current 'governmen't wants from it's citizens. To have no sympathy for anyones plight but their own. "Devil take the hindmost" and all that.

 

Until they themselves need help of course and then It's often too late.

[think about it]

I think too that many people who read this are imagining some sort of nuclear bunker with Jodie Foster popping her head around the door. This isn't a room with five foot thick concrete walls, a ten tonne door with a bank safe style locking system and it's own filtered air supply.

 

This room is very likely to be reinforced to simply slow someone down and whilst they can't take it with them there's every liklihood that the excuse for a bloke, depsite being violent, isn't stupid and is unlikely to attack them in broad daylight in the middle of the shops.