Statement in response to the King’s Speech
We welcome the King’s Speech delivered yesterday, which powerfully acknowledged the profound impact governments can have on people’s lives. The same is true of the response to domestic abuse – the right response, at the right time, can save lives and ensure every victim is able to reach safety, recover from trauma, and build the lives they want to lead.
We are encouraged by the new Government’s commitment to advancing key pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening the response to violence against women and girls (VAWG) and domestic abuse.
The proposed Victims, Prisoners and Public Protection Bill is particularly promising as it will enhance the powers of the Victims’ Commissioner, giving victims a voice and ensuring the system is held accountable for meeting their needs. We urge this Labour Government to be bold and include a firewall between immigration enforcement and migrant domestic abuse victims within this Bill, to ensure no survivor is left behind.
The Crime and Police Bill also represents a significant step forward. The provision of a stronger, specialist response to VAWG and domestic abuse, ensuring the police have the capability to respond robustly, is crucial. Domestic abuse is at epidemic levels and it is essential all police staff are trained to recognise and respond effectively from the initial contact with victims through to criminal justice outcomes. The Bill must be accompanied by continued awareness and cultural change programmes delivered by specialists, and improvements to existing assessment tools.
Additionally, the Children’s Wellbeing Bill promises to raise standards in education, promote children’s wellbeing, and strengthen multi-agency child protection. Supporting children exposed to domestic abuse is a key part of the whole system response. Around 100,000 children in the last year alone were living in homes where the adult victim was at high risk of serious harm or being killed.1SafeLives Marac data
After living in constant fear, victims of abuse and their families deserve wraparound support in a way that works for them. They shouldn’t have to leave their homes to be safe. Children need dedicated, specialist support. Survivors need routes to safety and recovery. And perpetrators and those who harm should be challenged to change.
While the details of the Government’s goal to halve VAWG within a decade were not fully outlined, we are hopeful that a focus on prevention and cross-departmental active involvement will drive meaningful progress.
We look forward to working with this Government to develop their ambitious agenda, ensuring that the response to domestic abuse is robust, comprehensive, and effective.
Ellen Miller, Chief Executive of SafeLives, said:
Violence against women and girls and domestic abuse are at epidemic levels. Whilst we are heartened by the King’s Speech and the Government’s committment to strengthening the response to this public health crisis - we must stress the need for immediate action to address problems with resourcing and systems, which are currently creaking and leaving victims and survivors at significant risk.
Key legislative changes and a significant increase in funding to drive that fundamental systemic and societal change is what will make a real difference to the lives of survivors. We are eager to work alongside the Government to ensure these measures are implemented effectively and that we continue to make real strides in preventing harm, reducing risk and supporting families to recover.