Domestic Abuse Commissioner warns that the government’s commitment to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) is at risk without urgent funding for specialist domestic abuse services. Over a quarter of domestic abuse services (27%) surveyed in England and Wales are having to turn children away from vital support amid severe funding shortages, new research …
Read the Commissioner’s new report Shifting the scales: Transforming the criminal justice response to domestic abuse. Full report here, Executive summary here. Domestic abuse victims are being failed by the criminal justice system at every stage – from police to probation – according to a report published today by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner. The report …
Commissioner calls to end justice lottery for domestic abuse victims Read More »
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, …
Commissioner warns Prime Minister: Victims must not suffer consequences of prison crisis Read More »
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 …
Peers defy government in landmark vote to secure safety for migrant victims Read More »
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 …
Nearly Eighteen Thousand Domestic Abuse Crimes Missing from Statistics Read More »
All 43 police forces across England and Wales and the British Transport Police have shared information about victims and survivors of domestic abuse with immigration enforcement at some point in the last three years, according to new data published today. This practice stops victims from reporting domestic abuse and allows perpetrators to evade justice, according …
Police report victims of domestic abuse to Immigration Enforcement, ’empowering abusers’ Read More »
Report recognises “Immigration abuse” for the first time as being used by abusers as a form of coercion and control The risk that police pass information to immigration enforcement means that migrant victims fear reporting abuse, allowing dangerous offenders to escape justice. One survivor said: “I could barely tolerate the abuse, but couldn’t dare going to …
The Victims’ Commissioner and Domestic Abuse Commissioner voice their support for Baroness Newlove’s amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill, which would create an offence of strangulation or asphyxiation. As the Domestic Abuse Bill returns to the House of Lords on 5 January 2021, there are fresh moves to make non-fatal strangulation a specific criminal offence …
Commissioners endorse non-fatal strangulation amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill Read More »
Victims’ Commissioner and Domestic Abuse Commissioner say “little progress” has been made since the HMICFRS Honour Based Abuse inspection recommendations in 2015 and call for a follow-up inspection. Dame Vera Baird, QC, the Victims’ Commissioner and Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner have issued a joint letter to the Home Secretary on Honour Based Abuse …
Commissioners issue joint letter to Home Secretary on Honour Based Abuse Read More »
The Victims’ Commissioner and Domestic Abuse Commissioner respond to the announcement of government funding for domestic abuse in the Spending Review. Vera Baird QC, Victims’ Commissioner and Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner said in a joint statement: “We’re delighted the government has listened to our calls for further funding and we welcome this extra money …
