Prime Minister Theresa May has announced plans for a major programme of work leading towards bringing forward a Domestic Violence and Abuse Act.
The programme of work will look at what more can be done to improve support for victims of domestic violence and abuse, especially in the way the law, and legal procedures, currently work for such victims. Experts in this area will be invited to contribute ideas and proposals for improving the way the system works which is likely to lead to legislation – making it much easier for law enforcement bodies to find and use more consistently the measures at their disposal. The Prime Minister will also ask for any potential ‘quick wins’ in the intervening period to be identified and acted upon.
The Prime Minister believes that the measures that come out of this work will raise public awareness of the problem – as well as encourage victims to report their abusers and see them brought to justice. She said: “Domestic violence and abuse is a life shattering and absolutely abhorrent crime; tackling it is a key priority for this government … I believe that the plans I have announced today have the potential to completely transform the way we think about and tackle domestic violence and abuse.”
Image: I Thought He Loved Me, by DualD FlipFlop, licensed under CC BY 2.0.