Domestic abuse is an appalling form of cruelty. Many people still do not see it as the serious crime it is. The Government defines domestic abuse as:
“any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.”
The behaviour captured in this definition includes:
“…a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim”.
The latest statistics reported in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) suggests that 30% of women and 16.3% of men will experience domestic abuse during their lifetimes
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In March this year, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) published the findings of their thematic review of the police response to domestic abuse. The review highlighted the available evidence regarding the identity of domestic abuse victims and makes clear that anyone can experience domestic abuse regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, class, age or disability.
HMIC reported that every 30 seconds someone will call the police regarding a domestic abuse related incident. 269,700 domestic abuse related crimes were reported to the police in the last year. Domestic abuse is a widespread problem, affecting people from all walks of life. It is vital that we offer protection to those trapped in cycles of abuse.
This consultation seeks views on whether the current law on domestic abuse needs to be strengthened to offer better protection to victims. It is specifically focused on whether a specific offence should be created that captures patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate relationships, in line with the government’s non-statutory definition of domestic abuse.
For further information and to take part in the consultation, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-law-on-domestic-abuse, or email: [email protected]
The closing date for responses is 15 October 2014.