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Domestic abuse victims should not pay the price of prison overcrowding

In a debate in the House of Commons today, Minister Edward Argar confirmed that the Early Release Scheme has been expanded again, allowing prisoners to be released up to 70 days before the end of their sentence. Originally, prisoners were released up to 18 days before the end of their sentence, and in March it …

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Peers defy government in landmark vote to secure safety for migrant victims

Protections for migrant victims of domestic abuse are one step closer to becoming law, following a landmark vote in the House of Lords today.  Peers voted 214 to 208 in favour of a firewall amendment, which would stop the police, social care, and other public services from reporting migrant victims to Immigration Enforcement.  Tabled by …

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Nearly Eighteen Thousand Domestic Abuse Crimes Missing from Statistics

17,600 fewer domestic abuse crimes have been recorded in statistics published today, after police were instructed to deliberately count fewer crimes.  In June 2023, the Home Office instructed the police to only count one crime for each time a victim comes forward and allowed police to stop counting crimes of threatening or abusive messages. These …

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Legislation needed to tackle police perpetrated abuse, says Commissioner

Part I of the Angiolini Inquiry, published last month, looked at the circumstances and failures that led to the abduction, rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a police officer in 2021. Today the government has announced that it has accepted all the government-led recommendations made by Part I of the inquiry. The government accepted recommendations …

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Police abuse hotline is a start but forces must properly deal with complaints, says Commissioner

Today the Domestic Abuse Commissioner has responded to the announcement of a new national line to root out corruption and abuse within the police. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs, says: “There should be no place in the police force for perpetrators of domestic and sexual abuse. That victims will have somewhere independent to report …

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Domestic Abuse Commissioner responds to new report revealing the scale of domestic homicide and suicide

The Domestic Homicides and Suspected Victim Suicides 2022-2023 Report, released today, examining domestic abuse related deaths in England and Wales has shown the scale of domestic homicides, and for the first time has recorded an increase in suspected suicides by domestic abuse victims. The report examines all deaths identified by police as domestic abuse related to improve …

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Domestic Abuse Commissioner launches platform to raise voices of victims and survivors of domestic abuse

Today the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs launches VOICES, a virtual platform for victims and survivors of domestic abuse to influence change to improve the lives of other victims and survivors of domestic abuse. From today, victims and survivors, as well as friends and family bereaved by domestic abuse, can sign up to receive the …

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Failure to take abuse seriously empowers police perpetrators, says Commissioner

The Angiolini Inquiry, an independent inquiry into how an off-duty Metropolitan police officer was able to abduct, rape and murder a member of the public, has published its Part I report findings today. The report is the first of three that will be published by Lady Elish Angiolini. In response to the report, the Domestic …

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Lifesaving domestic abuse services at risk from council financial crisis, warns Commissioner

Domestic abuse services are at risk of disappearing as the local authority financial crisis spirals out of control, says the Domestic Abuse Commissioner. Today Nicole Jacobs has written to Communities Secretary Michael Gove calling for urgent action to protect these lifesaving services. The safety of victims and survivors hangs in the balance, says the Commissioner. …

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Domestic Abuse Commissioner responds to Progress Report on safe accommodation duty

Today, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has published the Second Annual Progress Report of the National Expert Steering Group on Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation National Expert Steering Group (NESG) was set up to monitor the delivery of the duty on local authorities to …

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