Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Over 90% of sexual assault cases reported from nightclubs and pubs closed without charge
    • Drag show stars bringing arena tour to Birmingham
    • Charity changes name to become Birmingham Hospice
    • Passengers facing platform changes when £7.5million repair project begins at Birmingham New Street Station
    • Tributes pour in following death of commentator John Motson
    • Birmingham date confirmed for S Club 7 reunion tour
    • JLS confirm Birmingham date as they return to the stage with new tour
    • Campaign aiming to help Birmingham train passengers support others
    Birmingham Eastside
    • News
      • COVID-19
    • Sport
    • Culture
    • Politics
    • Contact us
    • Data
    Birmingham Eastside
    You are at:Home»News»Crime»Everything you need to know about the Domestic Abuse Bill

    Everything you need to know about the Domestic Abuse Bill

    0
    By Aida Fofana on April 21, 2021 Crime, News, Politics
    Credit: Marcin Nowak

    Almost three years after the Domestic Abuse Bill was promised, the return of the legislation to parliament has been widely welcomed and ‘urgently’ needed, as the Coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated domestic abuse across England.

    What will the Bill do

    The flagship Bill aims to improve the national response to domestic abuse across housing, health, social care and the court’s system to better tackle and prevent abuse. A new statutory definition of domestic abuse that doesn’t just consider physical abuse, but also emotional, coercive or controlling and economic abuse will be introduced.

    More duties will be placed on English local authorities to provide support for domestic abuse survivors and their children in refuges and alternative safe housing.

    Survivors of domestic abuse, including children, will be placed at the centre of the Bill as campaigners and MPs call for the new law to place the onus on perpetrators to stop the abuse.

    The Bill is currently being ping-ponged between the two houses of parliament, disputing and agreeing on amendments to ensure the Bill is fit for purpose.

    Anger at recent amendment shutdowns

    The latest set of amendments have stirred anger towards the government as Tory MPs voted down the amendment, tabled by Labour peer Lady Royall, to add stalkers and domestic abusers to a register similarly modelled after the sex-offenders register.

    Simultaneously MPs voted against House of Lords-supported amendments that would have given family court judges training on sexual abuse and provided securer protection to migrant victims of domestic abuse.

    Rejection of the measures is salt to the wound for many campaigners and MPs as Home secretary, Priti Patel alluded to the government supporting them in the wake of Sarah Everard’s death last month, telling the House of Commons:

    “There is something about perpetrators and their serial offending that has to be addressed. There is no question about that at all…I will be very candid: we will look at all measures”.

    The amendment to add serial stalkers and domestic abusers to a national register was defeated 351 to 227. All but two Conservative MPs voted against it.

    Campaigners and MPs anger

    Shadow domestic abuse minister, and MP for Birmingham Yardley, Jess Phillips said the decision against the amendments highlighted the government’s commitment to “working with a clearly broken system that leaves violent criminals without management and has already left many women for dead”.

    Lucy Hadley, the head of policy and campaigns at Women’s Aid, said the government’s rejection of amendments to give migrant women equal protection was “deeply disappointing”.

    “All survivors must have the right to seek help and live a life free from abuse regardless of their immigration status.

    She continued, “This law has been deemed a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect all survivors, but there is much more to do.”

    More amendments to come

    Despite the government shutdowns, the landmark bill has included measures that will ban alleged domestic abusers from cross-examining their former partner in family court, introduced misogyny as a hate crime and outlawed revenge porn threats.

    The bill has been batted back up to the House of Lords, where they will consider the Commons considerations on the 21st April 2021.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Aida Fofana

    Related Posts

    Over 90% of sexual assault cases reported from nightclubs and pubs closed without charge

    Charity changes name to become Birmingham Hospice

    Passengers facing platform changes when £7.5million repair project begins at Birmingham New Street Station

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Listen
    bhameastside · LISTEN: How Covid-19 has impacted outpatient appointments across England and Wales
    Recent Posts
    • Over 90% of sexual assault cases reported from nightclubs and pubs closed without charge
    • Drag show stars bringing arena tour to Birmingham
    • Charity changes name to become Birmingham Hospice
    • Passengers facing platform changes when £7.5million repair project begins at Birmingham New Street Station
    • Tributes pour in following death of commentator John Motson
    • Birmingham date confirmed for S Club 7 reunion tour
    • JLS confirm Birmingham date as they return to the stage with new tour
    • Campaign aiming to help Birmingham train passengers support others
    Latest video stories
    April 5, 2022

    UK visas for Ukrainian refugees: long delays and an insecure scheme

    January 22, 2021

    WATCH: DAME and Shai Brides on live music in lockdown

    January 13, 2021

    WATCH: BE Talks – Black Country Blokes chat about mental health podcast

    Birmingham Eastside Talks
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qjjNdGmoqk
    About

    Birmingham Eastside covers news and events across Birmingham and the Midlands region in the UK.

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.