Irrespective of one’s position on the Ukraine conflict, at no time did it cross my mind to open my home to any refugees. Frankly, I’d have to do some serious tidying up. Then there’s the little matter that the second bedroom is a de facto office and general utility space. I can put up a second bed if I have a guest, but it’s not exactly easy.
The other reason is that I am incredibly private about my personal space, so sharing a home with a stranger is not something I would consider.
Then there’s this.
An NHS mental health specialist who took in a Ukrainian refugee was reported for modern day slavery after she asked her guest to help out more with the dishes.
Hannah Debenham, 42, of Uckfield, East Sussex, was under investigation for two months following the accusation, before the case was dropped this week when no evidence was found.
The mother of two was asked to ‘voluntarily’ attend Eastbourne police station where she was questioned by a modern-day slavery inspector, which she branded ‘the worst experience of my life’. Officers also spent two hours at her home with her husband.
Words fail me, but I’ll try anyway. Fucking hell. Seriously. You open up your home to someone who is temporarily homeless and ask them to help with household chores and get reported to the police for it. Well, all I can say is that I’m glad I didn’t offer. If you offer sanctuary and a temporary home, it doesn’t mean you are obliged to wait on them and effectively become their unpaid servant – or as we might deem it, slave. Expecting long term guests to clear up after themselves and help with the daily chores is perfectly reasonable.
Do you think that someone has been tipping off refugees on the best ways to screw free money out of us?
It also shows how this modern slavery thing is mostly a load of bollocks, when a “modern-day slavery” inspector (seriously, that exists!?!?) spends all this time on this. Looks a lot like job justification to me.
Ah – but a positive finding is very useful in a subsequent asylum or immigration application
Just written a post on this. Reading between the lines, Mr & Mrs NHS workers (who have an eight bedroom house…) wanted some cheap help and used the Ukraine scheme to get it.
Absolutely no sympathy with them whatsoever when their poke turned out to contain a pig!
I do have some sympathy. They agreed payment for some childcare. The woman didn’t clean up after herself and was asked to help with household chores. This would have happened regardless of any childcare agreement and payment.
Never voluntarily help the police if you’ve been accused of something. Don’t say a word until you have a solicitor (Even if you’ve not been accused)
Spot on Bucko.
They are NOT looking for you to say something that will exonerate you, they are looking for you to incriminate yourself, on anything, not necessarily the matter you are accused of.
As there are so many laws that you need a lawyer to interpret them for you, and if you ask 2 lawyers the same question you will get 5 different answers, keep your trap shut.
With regard to the woman involved, I suspect all is not quite as it seems, but if I was daft enough to put myself in that situation I would remedy it immediately by means of bin liners on the door step and a change of locks. Probably a ‘fuck off’ as well.