The UK Government has published its initial response to Shifting the Scales, a report by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, which exposed critical failings in the criminal justice system’s handling of domestic abuse cases.
However, the Commissioner has raised serious concerns over the government’s approach, warning that a lack of urgency and investment could allow these failures to persist. The Commissioner stated:
“Instead of being a lifeline to victims – who in the face of incredible trauma seek justice – I found a system that struggles to hold perpetrators to account and continually fails to keep survivors safe. This is simply unacceptable.”
While welcoming some steps forward, such as the government’s commitment to strengthening police misconduct procedures and requiring officers to hold and maintain vetting clearance, she stressed that swift action is needed. She said:
“To restore faith and confidence in policing, it’s critical that the government introduces these measures swiftly to ensure police perpetrators will be removed from the force without delay.”
However, she expressed disappointment over the government’s outright rejection of her recommendation to make legal defences more accessible for domestic abuse victims who offend. She added:
“Victims and survivors need to be confident that the justice system will step in to protect them, instead of penalising them for their own abuse.”
The Commissioner also criticised the government’s failure to commit to improving data gathering on domestic abuse, citing it as “one of the biggest challenges to tackling domestic abuse and holding agencies to account for their performance”.
A lack of specialist training within the justice system was another key issue raised:
“Survivors frequently tell me that a lack of understanding of domestic abuse by professionals within the justice system and the impact it has had on them too often shapes their experience.” She called for comprehensive training for all professionals involved, warning that existing efforts are “not enough.”
Looking ahead, the Commissioner urged the government to provide greater clarity in its upcoming Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and the Spending Review. She said that “cherry-picking elements from my report” or re-badging existing programmes as new will “not work”.
While the government has promised a follow-up response after setting out its spending plans, the Commissioner remains concerned that current measures fall short. She continued:
“Right now we have a criminal justice system that is failing victims of domestic abuse. Without a comprehensive strategy backed up by adequate funding, I am deeply concerned that this will only continue.
The UK government has within its power the ability to create an effective, trusted and accountable criminal justice system. But it must be bold in its reform if it wants to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse get the right response, every single time.”
