SafeLives responds to the new laws added to the Domestic Abuse Bill and the extra support for victims confirmed in the Budget
An extraordinary coalition has worked together to make sure the Domestic Abuse Bill really is a step towards ending domestic abuse for everyone and for good. The voices of survivors (those who took part in our #EveryStoryMatters project, and so many more) have been joined by all the frontline organisations who have campaigned for change, as well as those Parliamentarians in both Houses who have supported them.
Those voices have been heard loud and clear. Of course, there is much more to do, not least for the specialist services which make sure all survivors get the help they need. The challenge is huge, but we welcome this step along the way.
New offence of non-fatal strangulation:
Non-fatal strangulation is a known way for perpetrators to control and intimidate their victim. It is an insidious form of domestic abuse that has previously been difficult to prosecute as it can leave no visible injury yet is a strong risk indicator that a victim could be killed by their perpetrator.
We strongly welcome the Government’s decision to make non-fatal strangulation a specific criminal offence, and we know that we are celebrating this ground-breaking change alongside countless survivors who have bravely relived their own trauma to call for this.
We are incredibly proud to work alongside survivors who refuse to have their voices silenced. There is still a long way to go, but announcements like this show that every day we are getting closer to our goal of ending domestic abuse, for everyone and for good.
Strenghtened legislation around coercive and controlling behaviour:
We know that domestic abuse does not end when a relationship does. Coercive and controlling behaviour is not confined to the home and alongside other forms of hidden abuse, such as economic abuse, can continue to affect someone’s life for years after separation.
SafeLives are delighted that the Government support strengthening the legislation around coercive control to include post separation abuse. The charity Surviving Economic Abuse, together with survivors and partners across the DA sector, have campaigned hard for this change so this is a huge achievement. We are particularly pleased that the Government has recognised family members who do not live together can use coercive and controlling behaviour and are grateful to Andrew Todd who brought *Jane’s experiences to our attention.
Funding for perpetrator response, and for young people using harmful behaviours:
We need to stop asking ‘Why don’t you just leave?’ and start asking ‘Why doesn’t [the abuser] just stop?’. To make a reality of that, we have to resource responses to those who use abuse, always in lockstep with support for adult and child victims/survivors. Increased funding for perpetrator response will help us all make the change that’s required, examining why abuse occurs and working to stop it from happening in the first place.
At SafeLives we continue to call for increased funding and a new duty on commissioners to provide community-based services which wrap around all family members in an abusive situation. Those services are a lifeline for domestic abuse survivors and their families. Only by supporting them properly will we end the postcode lottery of support, and ensure everyone can access the help they need to become safe, sooner.