Survivors say their sense of self was shattered when the country they considered home rejected their presence
A recent academic study published in December's SSM - Mental Health journal explores the mental health consequences of the Windrush Scandal and hostile immigration policies on survivors in the UK.
Image credit: WikipediaYou can read the open access study online here.
The ties that bind: Understanding the mental health consequences of the Windrush Scandal and hostile immigration policies on survivors in the UK was authored by Karlie Janes, Patrick Vernon, Dawn Estefan, Farah Sheibani, Glenda Caesar, and Rochelle A. Burgess. The study analysed 96 testimonies of Windrush survivors published in the media between 2018 and 2023. Its findings highlight the complex trauma caused by the scandal, which caused homelessness, dehumanisation within state systems, and significant emotional distress among survivors, resulting in symptoms linked to depression, chronic stress, and anxiety disorders.
The authors explained: "Our analysis of 96 survivor testimonies clearly highlights a pathway of social challenges through which the Windrush scandal contributes to the fracture of social worlds, producing significant impacts on the mental health of survivors and their descendants. Survivor narratives clearly articulate the ways in which the scandal established a complex living environment that places individuals at risk for significant mental health difficulties. It affected their livelihoods, social and familial relationships, and crucially, a sense of identity and personhood lost through a process of dehumanization and the removal of status in the UK. The narratives provided a comprehensive understanding of the social and political contexts associated with survivor descriptions of poor mental health."
Importantly, the study found the Windrush scandal exemplifies a "double violation" for survivors and the wider Black British community. Individuals who had long been recognised as British citizens were made "illegal" through a combination of hostile policies and legislation. This process, described as the "individualisation of immigration control," dehumanised Black British citizens, stripping them of their rights and their long-held sense of British identity and community.
"All our survivor accounts highlighted that when citizenship was called into question and the country that they had called home rejected their presence, their sense of self was shattered," the authors said.
As many Windrush survivors rightfully believed themselves to be British citizens, the trauma they experienced differed from that more typical of migrants. Unlike migrants who leave home by choice or force, the Windrush survivors' sense of identity and belonging was shattered by a racialised denial of their Britishness.
The study's findings also reveal a pattern of repeated exclusions, each causing new trauma for survivors and their families, with many experiencing lifelong racial trauma. The ongoing delays in resolving Windrush cases prolong this harm, leaving many in limbo. Similar to "weathering" observed in Black communities in the US, the study highlights a form of psychological weathering caused by sustained social stress. The authors say further research is needed to explore its impact on the mental health of racialised communities.
To support Windrush survivors, the authors recommend that interventions must address systemic marginalisation and exclusion, rather than focusing solely on individual mental health treatment. Policies should integrate social justice principles, restore economic losses, and help rebuild social connections.
In addition, the authors say that it is crucial that the Windrush compensation scheme be removed from the Home Office. The scheme was identified as a site of further re-traumatisation, with Home Office officials overseeing a system that is ill equipped to respond to the emotional and psychological needs of survivors.