To now be increasingly concerned about illegal boat arrivals

[CalmShaker]

I've kept a level head with boat crossing arrivals but recently I've become concerned that there are some really unpleasant people being let in. This story was hard to watch on the news this evening;

Asylum seeker 'murdered hotel worker Rhiannon Whyte in frenzied attack' - BBC News https://share.google/qxzed2MD19TYPKasQ

I welcome genuine asylum but I don't believe that is what is happening anymore.
The story immediately before the above on national news this evening was the migrant who had threatened Nigel Farrage. I know Nigel is not the most popular of people but the migrant was horrid, clearly dangerous and not safe to be on our streets.
Financial cost and all other factors aside, it's the safety aspect that worry me most.

No-one thinks that. Bur certain nationalities have far, far higher rates of sexual offending, so having a large number of men feom these countries all staying in asylum hotels does become a danger to the women and girls in the local communities they are housed in. And it's incident after incident unfortunately.

I'm not planning to vote Reform anyway - I don't trust then with the economy. But nice try.

Unfortunately, you're probably talking to a brick wall.

I was very idealistic too, and in my view there were few greater crimes than racism.

It took many years of experience to understand that properly assessing risk is a useful tool in life.

No they don’t.

Same!

I worked with young men from Afghanistan some years ago when I taught English. They were a self selecting group, obviously not the Taliban sort, as they were the ones who had chosen to get on a plane and come to London for an English course. I suppose the refugees would be the same though as the Taliban types are happy with the situation back in Afghanistan. My experience was that I didn’t have a problem teaching these men. They were interested in what I had to say, were respectful to me, a woman, as their teacher, not bothered by me dressing as a young western woman (no report of any hassle from them to any of the other young women from other countries either). They lacked some of the cultural capital that we took for granted with other students - if you talked about eg songs or tv they sometimes found it hard to relate to, and preferred discussions on cultural practices but they were interested in learning about the different nationalities we had represented in the room.
the system is the problem, some bad actors and criminals are taking advantage, most people just want a decent life, just like all of us.

Absolutely. I think the issue is that the current system does not identify bad actors, and for various reasons (not all related to personal safety) there is an intensification of their desire to be in the UK.

it was ever thus that people have migrated for usually a better life then. Yes the figures are proportionally the highest ever recorded ( since the 50s) who knows what went on before that tbf.

90% of applications are not successful. Not even in 2022 where there was an increase in successful claims. And there is always at least one screening interview.

Maybe not initial applications but if you include appeals, it’s not far off 90%

Grant rates vary dramatically by nationality. In the year ending March 2025, claims from Sudan and Syria had success rates of 99% and 98%,

both are war-torn… civil war currently in Sudan

Pity they're both demographics that represent a far greater likelihood of sexual assaults.

The propaganda is coming from people like you and the left whether or not you are left leaning.

I fully support welcoming refugees but think we need better routes.

I'm quite liberal but I do feel a concern - where I live is very near a hotel that houses asylum seekers. Its an extremely dull small town and you now often see lone men wandering with a mobile phone in their hand seemingly heading nowhere around the suburbs. Men with nothing to do isn't ideal.

I also think we have to acknowledge that white working class women are disproportionately victims of these crimes.

Which is why I totally support the asylum of women and children from these places. Particularly when it’s so clear that the men they’re fleeing from are so much more likely to commit sexual assault.
The men they’re fleeing from however, can stay put.

agree… do think women and children need to be prioritised. Would like to understand why more men are coming over. Don’t wish to jump to conclusions tho. I don’t think all men from these countries are bad.

But it must be a be an incredibly high number for the criminal stats we have on them to be so disproportionately high… and the fact their countries are so unsafe.
It’s not the women and children making them dangerous places to live.

I am not sympathising or excusing criminal behaviour but they are a very disadvantaged group of people.

There are a few reasons. Because many people don’t come directly from Sudan or wherever they are originally from. Most asylum seekers in the world live in camps in neighbouring counties. Some of them will decide to leave. Lots of young men who have nothing to lose and willing to risk the journey to Europe.

Others will leave their families due to the dangerous journey with the hope that they will be able to be reunified later.

In some cases men are more likely to be at risk from their governments because they are more likely to be in the public sphere.

More legal routes for asylum seekers from camps in neighbouring countries would be fairer and safer for everyone involved. People’s case would be accessed before they arrive. Also more funding of refugee camps in low and middle income countries (where more than 70% of asylum seekers currently live)

And those camps sound absolutely awful as well! Not a good quality of life and treated worse than some prisoners so it’s no wonder they try to escape - they need to be improved - it’s not really fair for them.

Women and girls have been pretty much stopped by new Labour policy anyway.

I’d offer refuge to a mother and daughter from Sudan so they don’t suffer rape or worse but it’s not going to happen with this system, that many keep defending.

So are most men who commit crimes including rape and murder.

Doesn’t mean we should have more.

Of course it is just human nature to want to find a better life.

It’s tragic. And with conflict the highest it’s been since the 1940’s more people than ever are on the move.

Then the media and politicians are happy to scapegoat these people for all our woes.

I can’t see things getting any better. It’s just a dark time.

Agreed.