The Home Secretary this morning laid before Parliament the report of John Vine CBE QPM, the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, on “an investigation into the Home Office’s Handling of Asylum Claims Made on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation”.
This report fully endorses the DSSH (Difference, Stigma, Shame and Harm) model, created in 2011 by No5 Chambers barrister S. Chelvan, as a humane method in establishing a gay asylum claim. The model is endorsed by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and is additionally adopted by governments which include New Zealand, Sweden and Finland.
Chelvan said the following with respect to today’s report: “The Independent Chief Inspector’s report highlights the clear need for guidance in formulating acceptable questions in investigating gay asylum claims. The report records the Home Office’s existing agreement to bring the DSSH model into training. Nevertheless, the report’s recommendation that more detail on the DSSH model needs to be provided in training caseworkers is welcomed. I have spoken to the Home Office this morning, who have agreed to explore avenues for further in-house training on the DSSH model. This should address directly the report’s finding that there still exists unacceptable questioning to elicit sexually explicit responses, or query the validity of same-sex relationships”
Please click here to view Chelvan‘s profile.
