Response to new Home Office measures to tackle domestic abuse

Today the Home Office announced an eight-point plan that takes a comprehensive approach to respond to perpetrators of violence against women and girls (VAWG), including domestic abuse.

The plan is a good step towards changing the conversation from ‘why doesn’t she leave’ and instead ask ‘why doesn’t he stop’. The work done with high harm perpetrators of domestic abuse through the Drive programme shows that challenging perpetrators can and does work, and we’re pleased to see the Home Office’s continued dedication to funding perpetrator programmes and the focus on holding perpetrators to account, including those without convictions. With conviction rates being so low, it’s vital that strong systems are in place to identify and stop harmful behaviours.

Male violence against women and girls is at epidemic levels. We welcome the newly published Strategic Policing requirement and the inclusion of VAWG in this, and hope that it is on the agenda at every strategic policing forum going forwards.

We also welcome the announcement that the Home Office are building on the success of the Ask for ANI scheme in pharmacies across the UK, and now offering victims of domestic abuse the opportunity to ‘Ask for ANI’ in 18 job centres across the UK. Survivors, including SafeLives Pioneers, were central to the inception of this scheme, and its continued success shows how valuable placing survivor voice and expertise at the heart and start of solutions can be.

We’re pleased to see this systemic and joined-up approach to preventing and stopping harm and look forward to working with the Home Office towards our goal of ending domestic abuse. For everyone and for good.

Please note: from 4 November 2024, Ask for ANI will no longer be available in pharmacies. The scheme was created to address the specific challenges faced by domestic abuse victims during the Covid-19 pandemic.