Immigration in UK
STRANIERIINITALIA.IT| Tough new powers to help victims of domestic violence |
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Johnson: "We must never accept that violence against women and girls is best left behind closed doors”
5th October 2009: Violent partners in the UK will be banned from their homes and their victims given support to escape abuse under new proposals unveiled by Home Secretary Alan Johnson. Police will be able to initiate a Domestic Violence Protection Order, also known as 'Go' orders, barring perpetrators of domestic violence from their homes for up to a fortnight, giving their victim breathing space to consider their options. Local caseworkers will use the period of the order to advise the partner about services if they decide to leave the relationship including practical help to secure a longer-term injunction. Mr. Johnson said: "We must never accept that violence against women and girls is best left behind closed doors. "It is not right that victims of domestic violence, who have already suffered so much, are forced out of their home. It is both safer and fairer to remove the abuser. "These measures will give abused partners valuable breathing space to consider their options supported by trained caseworkers who can help them escape the cycle of violence.” Sandra Horley OBE, Chief Executive of Refuge, said: "Protecting abused women and children is at the heart of what Refuge does. These new orders will protect women from further risk of domestic violence if they are implemented effectively. "We hope the Government will underpin these positive initiatives with the funding and training needed to ensure this, and, in doing so, alter radically the number of women whose lives are blighted by domestic violence." Nicola Harwin, CBE, chief executive of Women's Aid, said: "Women's Aid really welcomes the government proposal to introduce new legal provisions to enable the police to protect vulnerable victims by removing abusive partners from the home for a temporary period, as similar provisions have been in operation elsewhere in Europe for several years. "As evaluation of these programmes has shown, this police action can be very effective if victims also receive immediate help and support from specialist domestic violence services, to ensure that effective safety planning and longer term support and protection is put in place." Domestic violence is a widespread problem. Around 750,000 incidents of domestic violence are reported to the police every year, resulting in 200,000 arrests. Currently, victims only receive immediate protection if the police arrest and charge a perpetrator and appropriate bail conditions are set or a civil injunction is sought by the victim. If this does not happen, the only option for victims may be to escape to temporary accommodation. In the future, following an arrest, where the police are not able to bring a criminal charge but are concerned about the on-going immediate risks to that victim police would be able to initiate a 'Go' order. Police will be able to give evidence on the victim's behalf - using statements from other witnesses including neighbours, family and friends, and evidence of previous violent behaviour by the perpetrator. Breach of an Order would lead to the perpetrator being brought back to the Court for contempt which can lead to imprisonment. The new Orders, which are based on successful models in countries such as Austria and Switzerland, are one of the emerging recommendations of a review of powers to address violence against women and girls being carried out by Brian Moore, Chief Constable of Wiltshire police, in his capacity as ACPO lead on domestic abuse. New legislation will be required to implement the measures and will be introduced as soon as Parliamentary time allows. They will be piloted in two police force areas to test the impact of on the criminal justice system. Further details will be published later this autumn. The powers will complement new restraining orders which came into force on 30th September to help protect victims of harassment including domestic abuse where an offender has been prosecuted for any criminal offence. Criminal courts now have greater freedom to grant restraining orders when abusers appear before them, giving victims immediate protection and sparing them the ordeal of starting a separate civil action. |