Asked by
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are providing specialist
support for domestic abuse victims facing multiple
disadvantages.
The Minister of State, Home Office () (Con)
My Lords, the Government are committed to supporting all victims
of domestic abuse, including those facing multiple disadvantage.
We understand the importance of “by and for” services, designed
and delivered by and for those they serve, providing tailored
support that victims need. That is why our VAWG strategy commits
£1.5 million for specialist support services and our tackling
domestic abuse plan invests more than £230 million of new
funding, including £141 million for supporting victims.
(Lab)
I thank the Minister for that. Of course, everybody would welcome
the Government’s plan to tackle domestic violence. This Question
addresses the particular needs of the most vulnerable, facing
multiple disadvantage, who are often at the sharpest end of
inequality. What steps are the Government taking of direct
action, set out in their domestic abuse plan, specifically to
meet those needs? For example, will funding clearly set out how
any training will work for these girls and women to provide care
that is trauma-informed, age-sensitive and takes account of
things such as the needs of care leavers and black and ethnic
minority women?
(Con)
The noble Baroness is absolutely right that whatever
interventions are taken forward on domestic abuse need to take
into account the specific circumstances of the victim. Although
disadvantage does not cause domestic abuse, it can certainly be
exacerbated by the many causes of disadvantage. On specific
interventions, the College of Policing has developed specialist
training, including the Domestic Abuse Matters programme, which
will help first responders dealing with an incident or a report
and considers the needs of different victims, including those
from diverse communities. The training has been delivered to the
majority of forces already. The Home Office will provide £3.3
million to that end to support further delivery. The tampon tax
obviously funded 100 directed grants and £75 million to
disadvantaged women since 2015. DCMS has also given some direct
grant funding to that end.
(CB)
My Lords, a few weeks ago, the Government published a detailed
report on child protection in England. In it are recommendations
on how we can improve the safety of children caught up in
domestic abuse situations. Can the Minister assure the House that
these recommendations will be taken seriously and, I hope,
properly implemented?
(Con)
It is almost too horrific to read the detail of the cases to
which the noble Lord refers, in which people do such things to
such young, innocent children. We are very grateful for the work
that the panel has undertaken and want to ensure that we improve
our response to children in domestic abuse incidents. The noble
Lord will of course recall the work we did through the Domestic
Abuse Act.
(LD)
I know the Minister appreciates the importance of specialist
support for victims and survivors of domestic abuse who face
multiple disadvantages. I hope she agrees that they could be
better served through tailored support and specialist
partnerships to meet their needs. In response to the victims Bill
consultation, the domestic abuse commissioner recommends a
ministerial lead for multiple-disadvantaged women to work across
departments to help pull services together. Will we be seeing
this measure in the victims Bill?
(Con)
I know we will have many discussions on the victims Bill and we
will certainly take the recommendations of the DA commissioner
very seriously. I think we have already accepted some and are
working on them.
(Con)
My Lords, I very much welcome the support the Government are
putting into this vital area. Will the Minister give an update on
the Forced Marriage Unit and on what additional support is being
given to those referred to it, particularly young girls and
boys?
(Con)
My noble friend asks a very pertinent question. The Forced
Marriage Unit’s work is going very well and referrals to it are
increasing. Some victims of forced marriage are probably some of
the most vulnerable because they are so scared to leave their
situation. I am pleased about the work we have done on it. I have
lost my place, so I will write to my noble friend with further
information on it.
(Lab)
My Lords, 10 years ago today the Government signed the Istanbul
convention and they recently issued a Written Statement saying
that they will ratify it with reservations on Articles 44 and 59.
Why are there such reservations, particularly on Article 59,
which deals with migrant women and requires a Government to grant
residence to victims whose immigration status depends on their
partners or spouses? This can mean that where perpetrators have
control over victims’ immigration status, they can further trap
them by threatening them with being deported or separated from
their children. Will the Minister agree today to do all she can
to ensure that there are no reservations on Articles 44 and 59
when the Government ratify the Istanbul convention?
(Con)
On the latter part of the noble Baroness’s question, we certainly
want to get that right. On the interface between immigration
enforcement and victims of domestic violence, it is very
important to get the balance right so that we can protect those
victims.
While I am on my feet, I say to my noble friend Lady Manzoor
that, on honour-based abuse, including FGM and force-based
marriage, Ministry of Justice data shows that to date more than
3,000 forced marriage protection orders and more than 700 FGM
protection orders have been issued.
The Lord
My Lords, we know that domestic abuse can be experienced across
the gender divide and in every part of society, and that includes
clergy households. Can the Minister say what steps Her Majesty’s
Government are taking to address the needs of those who suffer
domestic abuse and who, like clergy, live in accommodation tied
to their post, thus making their future material well-being more
perilous if and when they leave the family home?
(Con)
I am very pleased to address the right reverend Prelate for the
first time, and I welcome his first question to me. He is
absolutely right that people who are tied to their accommodation,
such as the clergy—there are other examples—may be terribly
scared to leave that accommodation because of the homelessness
implications. In the Domestic Abuse Act last year, we ensured
that priority for accommodation, as secured by the local
authority, will be given to those who are homeless as a result of
being a victim of domestic abuse.
(Lab)
My Lords, further to the question on migrant workers, the
domestic abuse commissioner recently called for support for all
victims and survivors of domestic abuse, regardless of
immigration status, following the current migrant victims’ pilot
for those with no recourse to public funds. Will the Minister
commit to such support in future, given that she has repeatedly
said that migrant abuse victims must be treated as victims first
and foremost, regardless of immigration status? All too often
that is not the case.
(Con)
The noble Baroness is absolutely right; I have said that before
and I will say it again. People should be treated first and
foremost as victims. She will know that no recourse to public
funds is linked to someone’s link to this country. We will not
change that policy, but I absolutely agree with her that if you
are a victim of domestic violence, you should be treated as a
victim of domestic violence first and foremost.
(CB)
Does the Minister agree that a contributing cause of domestic
abuse is the teaching of some religions and cultures that women
are inferior, and that it is time for us to focus on the
perpetrators of abuse and how they are educated? If so, what can
we do about it?
(Con)
The causes of domestic abuse are multifactorial. There is no
simple answer to why someone decides to beat someone else,
deprive them of finances or coercively control them. The noble
Baroness has a point in some ways, and it is incumbent on
schools, through PSHE, to teach the values of respectful
relationships so that our young boys will grow up into men who do
not think it is acceptable to beat a woman.
