Women’s Aid has welcomed the introduction of the previously announced Crime and Policing Bill, which includes the specific aim of tacking Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) but are “disappointed” to see that there is no explicit mention of domestic abuse.
The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced to the UK Parliament on February 25, 2025, has elicited a range of responses from government officials, law enforcement representatives, retailers, and civil liberties advocates.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised that the bill is central to the government’s mission for safer streets and forms a crucial part of their Plan for Change. She highlighted that communities have endured rising town centre and street crime, along with persistent antisocial behaviour, while neighbourhood policing has been reduced.
Cooper stated that the bill aims to reclaim streets and town centres, restore respect for law and order, and provide police and local communities with the necessary tools to address local crime. Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, said:
“With one in four women experiencing abuse in their lifetime, it is concerning that domestic abuse has not been listed as a priority offence in the Bill. Furthermore, there is once again a focus on the ‘highest-harm’ offences from the Government, which fails to acknowledge the nature of domestic abuse and the risk-factors that abusive behaviours brings. Sadly, the risk to survivor of domestic abuse is often classed as ‘standard’ or ‘medium’, overlooking the escalating patterns of abuse, which can result in homicide. The Government must work with domestic abuse services to ensure that expert insights into how perpetrators operate, and the risks of abuse are included in the plans.
Alongside a commitment to domestic abuse in legislation, we need to see funding pledges to the specialist domestic abuse services that support survivors. These life-saving services face chronic underfunding, which is ultimately impacting their ability to ensure that survivors are safe and supported. Without these services supporting survivors, it will be impossible for the Government to achieve their pledge to halve VAWG in the next decade.”
Nazeer said that domestic abuse is a national emergency, which requires “urgent collaborative action to overcome.” They look forward to continuing their work with the Government, ensure that expert and survivor voices are included in measures.
