Home Affairs Committee call for evidence on domestic abuse in Coronavirus inquiry

The Home Affairs Committee has issued a further call for evidence to inform their inquiry into Home Office preparedness for Covid-19 (Coronavirus). The Committee is inviting submissions on domestic abuse and risks of harm within the home during the crisis.

The Committee invites evidence on the following issues:

• The prevalence of these issues since the Government issued ‘stay at home’ guidance on 23 March;
• Measures or proposals to help support victims of domestic abuse and child abuse at this time;
• Measures or proposals to reduce or avert domestic abuse and child abuse at this time;
• Preparedness of responders and service providers to address the needs of victims during the pandemic; and
• The effectiveness of Government advice, co-ordination and support for responders and service providers.

You can submit evidence to the Committee, and find out more about its inquiry into Home Office preparedness for Covid-19 here. The deadline for submissions is Tuesday 21 April.

We understand that the issues raised in this inquiry may be potentially distressing or sensitive.

In line with the general practice of select committees, the Home Affairs Committee is not able to take up individual cases. If you have immediate safeguarding concerns about yourself or someone else, you should contact the Police on 999 or (if you are concerned about a child) the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000.

If you are in danger and unable to talk on the phone, call 999 and then press 55. This will transfer your call to the relevant police force who will assist you without you having to speak.

If you would like support or advice the Government has published information about helplines and websites that may be able to help:

National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247

Men's Advice line 0808 801 0327

Citizens Advice 03444 111 444

Samaritans- 116 123

Childline 0800 1111

If you would like political support or advice you may wish to contact your local Member of Parliament.

If you would like your submission (or part of it) to be kept confidential and not published, please make this clear. We may anonymise or redact some of your submission if it is published.

Inquiry Information:

Home Office preparedness for Covid-19 (Coronavirus)

Committee Membership is as follows:    

Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP (Chair, Labour, Normanton, Pontefract & Castleford)

Janet Daby MP (Labour, Lewisham East)

Dehenna Davison MP (Conservative, Bishop Auckland)

Stephen Doughty MP (Labour, Cardiff South and Penarth)

Ruth Edwards MP (Conservative, Rushcliffe)

Laura Farris MP (Conservative, Newbury)

Simon Fell MP (Conservative, Barrow and Furness)

Adam Holloway MP (Conservative, Gravesham)

Tim Loughton MP (Conservative, East Worthing and Shoreham)

Holly Lynch MP (Labour, Halifax)

Stuart C. McDonald MP (Scottish National Party, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)