Home Secretary claims almost all migrant women on small boats are raped

Home Secretary claims almost all women on small boats are raped

Shabana Mahmood, the UK’s Home Secretary, said on the Rest Is Politics podcast that almost all women who try to reach the UK in small boats from northern France have been raped during their journey. According to her, the violence occurs before the boats even reach British waters.

The small‑boat route from the French coast to Dover has long been a focus of UK border authorities. Over the last year, the Border Force recorded more than 1,000 attempted crossings, many of them on improvised vessels that can hold only a handful of people. Migrants are attracted by the promise of a quick, inexpensive passage, but the journeys are notoriously perilous, with frequent accidents and reports of abuse.

In her interview, Mahmood warned that far‑right activists, who she described as wearing balaclavas, would “kill” or “kick me out of my own country” if they won power. She added that traffickers would exploit asylum seekers, deciding who can reach the UK.

Nearly all women who try to reach the UK in small boats from northern France have been raped on their journey.

Opposition MPs have criticised the claim as unsubstantiated. A spokesperson for the Labour Party said the Home Secretary’s statements were “based on anecdotal evidence” and urged the government to provide data. Civil‑society groups, including Refugee Council, called for a comprehensive investigation into sexual violence on the Channel crossings.

Mahmood’s tenure has already seen several high‑profile controversies. She has faced criticism over the “floodgate” policy, which tightened asylum processing and was blamed for a surge in dangerous boat trips. The policy has since been revised, with the government announcing new funding for safe‑migration channels.

The Home Office plans to introduce a new set of measures at the next parliamentary session. The proposals will aim to increase patrols on the Channel and expand support for victims of sexual violence. The policy review will be debated in the House of Commons later this month, with a vote expected on 20 October.

As the debate approaches, the public and MPs alike will be watching to see whether Mahmood’s stark claims translate into concrete action, or whether they merely inflame an already heated debate over migration and safety.