[Stop-traffic] News/Holland: Abused migrant women to get permits

[Melanie Orhant]

Abused migrant women to get permits
Expatica News, October 20, 2003
http://www.expatica.com/main.asp?pad=2,18,&item_id=35083

excerpt:

AMSTERDAM -- Migrant women who suffer physical or sexual abuse at the 
hands of their husband will in future come into consideration for a 
residence permit independent of their partner.

The proposal from Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk is designed so 
that migrant women can report household violence to authorities 
without the fear of deportation.

Present regulations mean that many victims cannot abandon their 
husbands because their residence permit is dependent upon the 
relationship. If the relationship ends they are forced to leave the 
country and it is believed that many cases of abuse are left 
unreported.