LONDON – Domestic abusers face tighter monitoring under a clampdown unveiled by Rishi Sunak on Monday.
The UK prime minister began the week with a package of planned reforms aimed at cutting down on “appalling” crimes, including new duties on a host of public bodies to track and manage convicted criminals.
The government is promising that those jailed for a year or more or given a suspended sentence for “controlling or coercive behaviour” will now be treated at par with offenders convicted of physical violence. This means they will be actively “managed” by the police, prison and probation services, who will have a legal duty to work together.
Meanwhile, a new, small-scale trial program of “domestic abuse protection notices and orders” is being set up in parts of Wales, Manchester and London, including possible electronic tagging and requiring police to pass on names and information. New requirements are being imposed on criminals, including by necessity. Address change. Violations will be treated as a new criminal offence.
The UK government is also pledging to promote a nationwide scheme called “Ask for ANI”, which already trains staff in pharmacies across the country to assist victims who approach shop counters and Give the codeword “ANI”. The program will now be trialled in 18 Social Security offices in the UK
Home Secretary Suella Braverman is also ordering police forces to treat violence against women and girls as a “national threat” for the first time.
In comments released by Number 10 overnight, Sunak said: “No woman or girl should ever feel unsafe in their home or community and I am determined to stamp out these appalling crimes.”
Sunak’s government last year unveiled £257 million in new funding over two years to help local councils provide refuge and shelter for people fleeing domestic abuse.
But campaign group Women’s Aid warned that “more than £800 million would be needed to maintain all specialist domestic abuse services in England,” and said some services were struggling to stay afloat amid rising energy costs. .