Labour: Government orders failing victims of domestic violence

The government is failing victims of domestic violence by allowing more than 10,000 perpetrators to get away with a slap on the wrist, Labour’s Yvette Cooper said today.

The Shadow Home Secretary accused ministers of “downgrading action on violence against women” in a speech in Birmingham.

Labour has confirmed it would look at introducing a specific offence of domestic violence in an effort to increase falling prosection rates in such cases, while Cooper repeated the party’s promise to ban the use of community resolutions for cases – such as compensation or apologies.

Data obtained by Labour from 15 police forces showed there were 3,305 uses of community resolutions for domestic abuse in 2013. The number has increased from 1,337 in 2009.

“These figures are deeply worrying,” she said. “Domestic violence is an incredibly serious crime. Two women a week are killed by their partner or an ex and 750,000 children will grow up witnessing domestic violence.

“For the police to simply take a violent abuser home to apologise risks making domestic violence worse, and makes it even harder for victims to escape a cycle of abuse,” Cooper added.

“Labour has called on the government previously to prevent the use of community resolutions for serious crimes, including domestic violence. Today’s figures reveal that nothing has been done.”

The Association of Chief Police Officers advice suggests the resolutions are only suitable for crimes such as minor criminal damage, anti-social behaviour and low-value theft.

Cooper’s speech also highlighted the drop in prosecutions and convictions for rape, domestic violence and child sex offences, although reported offences are rising.

She also criticised the government’s refusal to introduce compulsory sex education to teach zero-tolerance violence against women.

Labour has pledged to introduce a violence against women and girls bill which would end the use of community resolutions in domestic violence cases.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “No government has done more to tackle the abhorrent crime of domestic abuse than this government. Our groundbreaking Claire’s Law will help protect women from abusive relationships, while domestic violence protection orders are cracking down on the destructive cycle of repeated abuse.”