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To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of
police resources available to support victims of domestic
violence.
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The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Williams of
Trafford) (Con)
My Lords, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire
& Rescue Services has noted in recent inspections that
forces have protected dedicated resources to support victims
of domestic abuse. The number of police referrals,
prosecutions and convictions for domestic abuse has increased
significantly since 2010. However, this Government are
committed to doing more still and in this Session will
publish in draft a landmark domestic violence and abuse Bill
to better protect and support victims and to bring
perpetrators to justice.
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(Lab)
I thank the Minister for that Answer. With police numbers
already at a 35-year low and with no new money for policing
announced in last week’s Budget, the situation is in a
potentially perilous state, according to HM Inspectorate.
Requests made under the “right to ask” part of Clare’s law
must be made in person at a police station, but the number of
public-access stations is being reduced as part of the cuts
being imposed on local authorities. Are the Government
therefore exploring other options, such as online requests,
for victims of domestic abuse who want to find out whether
their abuser has a violent past?
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I can certainly make inquiries for the noble Baroness about
online requests for such information. However, HMICFRS has
noted improvements in the overall police response to victims
of domestic abuse since the publication of its first report
in 2014. In addition, the Home Office is putting forward £1.9
million for specialist training for police to obtain a
licence to practise so that they are equipped to deal with
vulnerable people in such situations.
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(Con)
My Lords, the majority of victims are women but today, sadly,
there are many men who suffer domestic violence. Do we have
enough places for them to go to?
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My noble friend makes a good point. The breakdown of victims
of domestic violence is thought to be about 96% women and 4%
men. We have a helpline for men and, as I said to the noble
Baroness, Lady Barker, earlier, anyone who is a victim of
domestic violence should be able to have the help they need.
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(LD)
My Lords, the Minister will remember that earlier in the year
during the passage of the Policing and Crime Bill, some
amendments were tabled to strengthen the victims’ code. At
the moment, there is no mandatory requirement on the police
and other agencies to provide support—it is an entitlement
for victims—and, despite being promised back in January that
there would be extensive and wide consultation on
strengthening it, we still have no sight of that
consultation, let alone any proposals from the Government.
When are we going to see specific proposals from the
Government to strengthen the support for victims?
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My Lords, I can give the noble Baroness further updates on
that matter. Yes, she raised it in the Bill, and the Home
Secretary is chairing an oversight board to ensure that the
police, the Crown Prosecution Service and national police
leads are doing all that is required of them in dealing
appropriately with victims of domestic violence.
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(CB)
My Lords, what are the Government doing to provide safe
places outside the community where the violence occurs? Many
community minorities have always, as a matter of course,
closed ranks to defend whatever their position is, and many
women need somewhere that is safe for them which is not in
the same city but somewhere else.
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The noble Baroness raises the reason why we set out the
national statement of expectations rather than a nationally
led programme of delivery for domestic violence. In terms of
safe places outside the community, that means that a lady or
a man who needs to flee their community to go to somewhere
else will be sure of a safe place. I would like to move to a
position where a lady did not need to flee her community in
order to be safe but where the perpetrator was dealt with
effectively.
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(Con)
My Lords, many women in the justice system are victims of
domestic violence, which is one of the root causes of their
offending. Is this taken into account when decisions are made
to prosecute?
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All circumstances are taken into account when someone is
prosecuted. My noble friend is right about the cycle of
abuse. Someone who is a victim of domestic violence will go
on to have perhaps depression or other mental health
problems, or drug or alcohol problems, which may lead to
crimes being committed. Certainly within the justice system
this cycle of abuse and crime needs to be unlocked.
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(Lab)
My Lords, will the noble Baroness have discussions with her
counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland so that we can
learn from experience and exchange ideas in this United
Kingdom? In that context, will she welcome the visit by the
Justice Committee of the Scottish Parliament to Westminster
today?
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I certainly welcome the visit of the Justice Committee. As to
whether we have lessons to learn, I am sure that we have
lessons to learn from each other in examples of good
practice. However, I say to the noble Lord that I am proud to
stand here, given what this Government have done over the
past seven years to help victims of domestic violence.
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(LD)
My Lords, many children and young people suffer from domestic
violence after seeing pornography and other violent acts
online. What are the Government doing to encourage the police
to go into schools and talk to young people about this kind
of crime and the support that victims would get from them if
it is happening to them?
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My Lords, sex and relationship services within schools are a
good forum in which to discuss not only what healthy
relationships look like but what unhealthy relationships look
like. Online providers are alive to what sort of material is
suitable for viewing by children, and the Home Secretary is
working with CSPs to improve their response to it.
