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<\/a><\/div>\nHome<\/a> > News<\/a><\/p>\n Theresa May will directly oversee the project<\/p>\n Prime Minister Theresa May has announced plans for a major programme of work leading towards bringing forward a Domestic Violence and Abuse Act.<\/p>\n The Government has said that the way domestic violence is dealt with at the moment does not go far enough \u2013 with a plethora of different offences and procedures scattered across the statute book. <\/p>\n This lack of clarity, it says, has led to an unacceptable diversity across the country in terms of the degree of effort put in to try and tackle it. Although the prosecution of, and convictions for, such offences have started to improve in recent years, there is inconsistency in the use and effectiveness of the various law enforcement measures across the country.<\/p>\n In recognition of this, the Prime Minister has announced plans for a major new programme of work leading towards bringing forward a Domestic Violence and Abuse Act.\u00a0 <\/p>\n The programme of work will look at what more can be done to improve support for victims 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 \u2013 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 will directly oversee this work, which will be truly cross-governmental \u2013 but co-ordinated by the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.<\/p>\n Like the Modern Slavery Act, the Prime Minister believes that the measures that come out of this work will raise public awareness of the problem \u2013 as well as encourage victims to report their abusers and see them brought to justice. <\/p>\n Prime Minister Theresa May said:<\/p>\n “Domestic violence and abuse is a life shattering and absolutely abhorrent crime; tackling it is a key priority for this government \u2013 and something I have always attached a personal importance to, both as Home Secretary and now as Prime Minister. I am clear that we need to build on the measures I introduced as Home Secretary \u2013 including the new offence of ‘Controlling and Coercive Behaviour’, Domestic Violence Protection Orders, and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme \u2013 and ensure that no stone will be left unturned in delivering a system that increases convictions, and works better for victims.<\/p>\n “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. There are thousands of people who are suffering at the hands of abusers \u2013 often isolated, and unaware of the options and support available to them to end it. Given the central importance of victim evidence to support prosecutions in this area, raising public awareness \u2013 as well as consolidating the law \u2013 will prove crucial.”<\/p>\n 18\/2\/17\u00a0<\/p>\n
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