The British government has taken an unprecedented step in an attempt to contain the country's integration and migration crisis by publishing an official behavioral guide for newly arrived asylum seekers.
The document, titled „Understanding behaviours and expectations in the UK: a guide for asylum seekers“, was developed by the Home Office. It explains in plain text what sexual consent is, why rape and domestic violence are serious criminal acts and what women's rights are in Western society.
What does the scandalous brochure for migrants say?
The information material consists of nine pages and is accompanied by special posters posted in accommodation centers. According to the official document published on the UK government portal (gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-behaviours-and-expectations-in-the-uk-a-guide-for-asylum-seekers), the laws and customs in the country can differ significantly from those in the migrants' home countries.
The main highlights included in manual, cover the following rules:
- Sex and consent: It is explicitly stated that consent means both people saying "yes" completely freely. "If you have sex with someone without their consent, it is called rape," the text says. It emphasizes that consent cannot be given if the person is asleep or under the influence of alcohol. The rule applies even if the person is married.
- Gender equality: Migrants are told that in the UK men and women have completely equal rights. Women can work, study, travel freely, and choose who to marry without asking permission from a husband, father, or brother.
- Behavior in public places: Obtrusive whistling in the streets, making “kissing sounds“ is prohibited (catcalling), making sexual comments (even in the form of a compliment), and following people or blocking their path.
- Child Protection: An additional brochure, leaked by the British media, categorically states that sexual relations with persons under the age of 16, forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) are serious crimes without exception.
Sharp political reactions and clashes in London
The publication of the behavioral guide caused a wave of indignation in British society and parliament. The news channel Sky News noted that the main target of the instructions appeared to be young male migrants.
The Conservative opposition and representatives of the party “Reform UK“ have sharply criticized the government's approach. The Tory shadow home secretary, Chris Philp, commented on the social network X that instead of the state spending money on “training illegal immigrants how to behave in a civilized manner with women“, they should be immediately deported from the country. Reform UK spokesman Zia Yusuf called the brochure “a disgrace“ that proves that the government is only aware of the threat these people pose.
The reason for the radical measure was a series of showy court cases against asylum seekers. The British newspaper The Telegraph recalled recently concluded cases in which convicted foreigners claimed in court that they did not understand local law, since in their homelands it is normal to marry 14-year-old girls. Figures from the Ministry of Justice in London show a rise in convictions for sex crimes among foreign nationals by more than 62% in the last four years.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham defends the decision
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham strongly defended the rollout of the new rules during a visit to West Yorkshire, the BBC reported. “We have a very clear principle - if you break the laws of the UK, you will be kicked out of the country. It is important that the norms of our society are fully and clearly understood so that there are no excuses”, Burnham said.
A spokesman for the Home Office added that any migrant who commits a crime or refuses to comply with the rules will lose their right to state housing and financial support, and their asylum application will be automatically rejected. The department also reported that deportations of failed asylum seekers have reached their highest levels since 2010.
Statistics show that in the last year, nearly 94,000 people have applied for status in the UK, with the largest numbers coming from Pakistan, Eritrea, Iran, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.