Boundaries between the UK’s counter-extremism strategy Prevent as being a counter-terrorism tool as well as being part of safeguarding are blurring the lines between care and cruelty.
In this second part of The Canary’s exploration of the fallout of the Shawcross review, Prevent Watch director Dr. Layla Aitlhadj speaks about how vulnerable people who are referred to Prevent are cut off from the professional support they actually need, and instead are forced into an interaction with counter-terrorism.
This demonstrates the more shadowy side of Prevent, since further disenfranchisement would be counter-productive since it creates and environment where Muslims feel in danger from a state that turns a suspicious eye on everyday activities and ascribes them sinister motivations.
This article is a summary of a podcast that is also available on the site link below.
Read more: Prevent as a safeguarding tool is a horrifying reality for Muslims
Related resources
- A Response to the Shawcross Review and The People’s Review of Prevent (Reports, 2022-23)
- Racism, mental health and pre-crime policing: The ethics of Vulnerability Support Hubs (Report, 2021)
- The Prevent Duty in UK Higher Education: Insights from FOI requests (Report, 2020)
