Serco is the company that owns Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre where up to 405 women, children and men seeking asylum are detained at any time. Legal Action for Women found that 70% of those detained reported being survivors of rape. Women and their families are held in appalling conditions, and describe being subject to racist and sexist physical and verbal abuse. They also state that the food served is inadequate, and that necessary items are sold at extortionate prices. Women have also complained that staff members have interfered with their attempts to contact their lawyers.
