Today (Tuesday 3 March), the government will re-introduce the
Domestic Abuse Bill to parliament, where it will receive its
first reading.
Alongside other measures, the Bill will introduce the first ever
definition of domestic abuse and place a legal duty on local
authorities to provide support to victims and their children in
refuges. While this is welcome, councils still do not have a
legal obligation to help survivors into long-term permanent
housing, meaning people can spend months or even years in
temporary accommodation with their lives on hold.
Responding to the announcement Hannah Gousy, Head of Policy and
Campaigns at Crisis, said: “We’re pleased that the government has
re-introduced the domestic abuse bill, but we’re deeply concerned
that it still does not provide survivors fleeing domestic abuse
with a legal right to safe, permanent housing.
“At this very moment, up and down the country people are making
the incredibly brave decision to flee their abuser only to come
up against a system that says they aren’t vulnerable enough to
access a home. How as a society can we put people in a position
where they either have to risk their life returning to their
abuser or face life on the streets – this has to change.
“Putting lives in danger has to stop. We continue to urge the
government to see sense on this matter and amend the bill so that
anyone fleeing domestic abuse is guaranteed a safe, settled
home.”
