News

Commissioner responds to the Family Justice Council’s new guidance

News, Statement / March 18, 2025

Last week the Family Justice Council published guidance to help the Family Court respond to a child’s unexplained reluctance, resistance or refusal to spend time with a parent. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs says, “The Family Justice Council’s new guidance has been long awaited and addresses the contentious issue of a child’s reluctance, resistance …

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Domestic Abuse Commissioner responds to tougher homicide sentencing measures

News, Statement / March 18, 2025

Today the Ministry of Justice announced two new statutory aggravating factors for murder sentencing, along with a review of homicide law and sentencing. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, Nicole Jacobs says, “I am pleased that strangulation and killing at the end of a relationship will become statutory aggravating factors for murder sentencing, …

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All domestic abuse perpetrators must be exempt from SDS40, says Commissioner

News, Statement / March 18, 2025

“I am deeply concerned to hear that 37 prisoners – who were serving sentences for breaching restraining orders – were released in error under the SDS40 early prison release scheme. “Anyone who breaches a restraining order is likely to be a high risk individual who may be fixated on their victim, undeterred by legal restrictions …

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Domestic Abuse Commissioner publishes immediate priorities for criminal justice system

News / March 18, 2025

Today, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner has published a briefing highlighting her immediate priorities for change in the criminal justice response to domestic abuse. The briefing includes early findings from her report into this subject which will be published and laid before Parliament at the end of the year. This week we have seen perpetrators of …

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Commissioner warns early release scheme puts domestic abuse victims at risk

News, Statement / March 18, 2025

Today, an early prison release scheme comes into effect that will see some offenders released after serving 40% of their sentence. The ‘SDS40’ scheme is a temporary measure, designed to ease the prison overcrowding crisis. But despite some exemptions for domestic abuse related crimes, the scheme doesn’t go far enough to protect victims from their …

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Help us improve funding and services for child domestic abuse victims

News / May 14, 2025

Contact [email protected] for access to the survey Today the Domestic Abuse Commissioner is calling on professionals who support child victims of domestic abuse to help her map provision across England and Wales. To do this she has developed a 30 minute survey, and responses will help improve the funding and services for child victims of …

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Commissioner responds to new measures to temporarily delay some imprisonments

News, Statement / March 18, 2025

In response to the ongoing prison overcrowding crisis, magistrates were yesterday requested to temporarily delay the imprisonment of some individuals. This move is intended to alleviate pressure ahead of the upcoming ‘SDS40’ early release program which aims to free up prison spaces. The SDS40 scheme allows some prisoners to be released after serving 40% of …

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Commissioner says domestic abuse victims must be kept safe amidst response to prison overcrowding crisis

News, Statement / March 18, 2025

Today the new Government has announced plans to temporarily reduce the point at which prisoners are automatically released from 50% to 40% of their sentence, in response to the overcrowding crisis. This will exclude anyone convicted for a sexual offence, stalking, controlling and coercive behaviour, non-fatal strangulation, breaches of restraining or non-molestation orders, or who …

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Commissioner warns Prime Minister: Victims must not suffer consequences of prison crisis

News, Press release / March 18, 2025

Today the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs has written to the Prime Minister calling for urgent action to address the prison capacity crisis. The letter urges Government to act now or risk failing in its ambitious pledge to halve violence against women and girls over a decade. This warning follows new analysis from the Commissioner, …

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