Victims of domestic abuse will be better protected from vile perpetrators under new plans to strengthen the police’s fight against violence towards women and girls, announced by the Home Secretary today (Friday, 20 September).
Marking the first step in the government’s pledge to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, a key element of the wider mission to take back our streets, domestic abuse specialists will be embedded in 999 control rooms.
Almost 100 domestic abuse related offences were recorded by the police every hour on average last year. This new initiative will ensure calls for help are treated with the urgency needed and victims get the specialist support they need straight away.
This will form part of ‘Raneem’s Law’, in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, who were murdered by Raneem’s ex-husband in 2018. There were 13 reports made to the police about concerns for Raneem’s safety, with no arrests made. On the night she was killed, she rang 999 four times.
The government will fund this pilot in targeted police forces from early 2025. Specialists with expertise in domestic abuse will be embedded in 999 control rooms to advise on risk assessments and work with officers on the ground, to ensure that victims get a fast response when needed and are referred to support services as quickly as possible.
These specialists will be backed up by dedicated teams to improve how the police respond to these kinds of calls, including using new technology to respond more quickly such as rapid video response.
‘Raneem’s Law’ will be put on a statutory footing by issuing national guidance that police will be required to follow.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
Victims of appalling domestic abuse need to know that the police will be there for them. Today’s measures are the start of this new government’s mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.
Failure to understand the seriousness of domestic abuse costs lives and far too many have already been lost. That’s why introducing ‘Raneem’s Law’ in memory of Raneem and her mother Khaola is so vital – and has been a personal priority for me.
Through an expert-led, practical police response, we need to ensure that when victims and survivors of abuse have the courage to come forward it will be treated with the seriousness and urgency it deserves. Our mission is for the whole of government, agencies, organisations and communities to work together to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, and today is just one step of many towards tangible and long-lasting change.
Nour Norris, lead campaigner, aunt and sister of Raneem Oudeh and Khaola Saleem, said:
Six years ago, when I lost my niece Raneem and sister Khaola, my world fell apart. Their suffering and the way the system failed them is something I will never forget. That’s when I began my campaign, Secure Life for Raneem’s Law. What started as a quest for justice for my family became a mission to improve outcomes for all domestic abuse victims everywhere.
Raneem’s Law will ensure that domestic abuse specialists are present in 999 control rooms so victims’ calls for help are taken seriously and save lives by making sure no warning signs are ignored, unlike in Raneem’s story. I am deeply proud that this government has listened and acted quickly to make Raneem’s Law a reality. Their commitment to addressing domestic violence has shown me that change is possible when we refuse to stay silent.
Knowing that Raneem’s name will now be a source of hope and protection for others fills me with a sense of pride I cannot put into words. Raneem’s memory lives on in this law, and it means the world to me to know that her story will help save lives.
In a further step to keep women and girls safe, from November more domestic abusers will be ordered to stay away from their victims and face tougher sanctions if they fail to do so through the launch of the new domestic abuse protection order pilot.
The pilot will build on powers police already have to legally order abusers to not make contact with or go within a certain distance of the victim – but domestic abuse victims are currently only protected for up to 28 days.
The new orders will go further, with measures such as making it a legal requirement for perpetrators to inform the police of any change in name or address, imposing electronic tagging, and ordering assessments for behaviour change programmes. There will also be no maximum duration for these orders.
The orders will cover all forms of domestic abuse, including violence, stalking and controlling behaviour, and more agencies will be able to apply for them – not just the police and criminal courts but also family and civil courts, and third parties such as local authorities, charities and social services, with victims also able to apply directly for the order themselves.
Breaching one of these new orders will be a criminal offence, punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls Jess Phillips said:
For too long, we know victims haven’t had the protection they deserve. We have set out an ambitious mission – to halve violence against women and girls in a decade – and offering the strongest and most effective response to incidents of domestic abuse is absolutely fundamental to this.
Embedding domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms and rolling out new protective orders to pilot forces and courts across the country are both huge steps towards the best response for victims possible.
Working with Nour, Raneem’s aunt and Khaola’s sister, has been one of the greatest honours of my life. We must make sure that when we change our policies those are the people that it comes from. The people with direct experience.
Today’s announcement marks the launch of the government’s unprecedented mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, which is an integral part of the wider mission to take back our streets and raise confidence in the police and criminal justice system to its highest levels.
To deliver this long-term reform and ensure efforts remain coordinated and effective, the Home Secretary will spearhead a cross-government approach to violence against women and girls through the Safer Streets Mission Board. This will ensure that all parts of government are focused on tackling gender-based violence.
The package of measures announced today reinforce the government’s commitment to use every government and police tool to target perpetrators and address the root causes of violence. This includes supporting schools and educational institutions in teaching children about healthy relationships, respect, and consent. Prevention and education are key pillars of the government’s broader strategy, alongside enforcement and victim protection.
Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs said:
I welcome today’s announcements on progress to introduce Raneem’s law and pilot the new domestic abuse protection orders.
It is estimated that the police receive a call about domestic abuse every 30 seconds. Emergency call handlers must be equipped to respond with the understanding and urgency that is needed to keep victims safe.
Domestic abuse protection orders should also play an important role in protecting victims from harm, enabling police to manage the risk posed by perpetrators more effectively. This pilot is much needed, and must be tested effectively so that when it is rolled out nationally, every victim is able to access a robust protective order.
These announcements represent a first step forward in government’s commitment to halve VAWG in a decade, and I look forward to working together to make this ambition a reality.
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Domestic Abuse, Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, said:
Domestic abuse is a complex and entrenched societal problem that can inflict life-long harm on victims and families, and accounts for a significant proportion of police-recorded crime.
Providing support for victims and their families and to introduce effective and sustainable solutions to disrupt perpetrators is vital.
Policing is working hard to improve the way it responds to domestic abuse, from the moment a crime is reported through to conviction.
We remain deeply committed to working with partners, including government, as part of a whole-system approach to safeguard victims and pursue perpetrators. We welcome the government’s commitment to making improvements in this area.
