The Domestic Abuse Bill passed through the House of Commons recently, and we are very pleased to see amendments including recognition of children as victims of, not witnesses to, Domestic Abuse; the removal of the so-called “rough sex” defence; prevention measures to stop perpetrators from cross-examining victims in court; and new rules stating that Local Authorities have a duty to offer housing to victims and their children. You can find the full list of amendments on the Home Office blog.
We will continue to campaign with our colleagues for migrant women to receive equal access to services and for Domestic Abuse services to receive statutory funding.