Domestic Abuse Bill update

There has been further progress regarding the journey of the Domestic Abuse Bill since my last update on this important piece of legislation.  When I last wrote, the Bill was awaiting a date for its second reading in the House of Lords. This happened on 5 January with the first Committee meeting occurring on 25 January 2021 where a number of amendments were considered. A further meeting was held yesterday, 27 January 2021.

Victims of abusive relationships have been forced, once again, to restrict their movements and opportunity to leave their home and the abusive environment that they live in because of the Pandemic. Women’s Aid reported a few months ago that 2/3 of women living in this situation found that the abuse towards them worsen during this time and that 3 in every 4 found it harder to escape the situation as a result of the confinement.

There has been a lot of press coverage about this topic recently. More than ever, the issue of domestic abuse needs to recognised more widely by the Government and Society to ensure that there is sufficient support for victims at the earliest opportunity, and  training for professions involved in supporting victims such as the police, social workers and teachers. It is also important that there is  an awareness in society that this is a real issue for many families. It is hoped with early intervention, adequate support for the victims both from professionals and within the Criminal Justice System that the number of people suffering from Domestic Abuse will be reduced and those that do feel they can reach out for help and are able to move forward with their life and recover.

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