New Domestic Abuse Bill could encourage Norfolk survivors to come forward
That's the view of a charity in the county
A bill being heard in parliament today could help more domestic abuse survivors in Norfolk to come forward.
That's the view of charity, Leeway, which supports people in the county.
Rhys Lloyd says a major part of the bill defines domestic abuse - helping many who might not have realised they were being abused.
"We hope that it will encourage more people to come forward.
"I think a lot of it is about the confidence that if people do come forward, that it will be dealt with seriously and I think the Bill will re-enforce that.
"With the Bill it provides greater awareness of what domestic abuse is and the different types.
"So it could mean that somebody who had passed off their partner being controlling as a sign of love or affection, without realising that it's actually domestic abuse."
The Domestic Abuse Bill aims to put an end to the so-called “rough sex defence”, recognise children as victims of domestic abuse and criminalise in England and Wales threats to share intimate images of another person without their consent.
Other reforms contained within the legislation include the first legal Government definition of domestic abuse, which would include economic abuse and controlling and manipulative non-physical behaviour.
The Government also made a concession in the Lords over recording misogyny as a hate crime.
It confirmed police forces from the autumn will be asked to record and identify any crimes of violence, including stalking and sexual offences, where the victim believed it to have been motivated by “hostility based on their sex”.
But despite making a myriad of changes as the Bill progressed through the Commons and the Lords, the Government on Thursday will aim to reverse further amendments made by peers.
Under the change made in the Lords, culprits would be put on the violent and sex offender register and subjected to monitoring and management through the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (Mappa).
The Government would also have to produce a comprehensive strategy for dealing with domestic abusers and stalkers, within a year of the Bill becoming law.
Instead, ministers have tabled a new amendment in which the Government agrees to publish a strategy for prosecution and management of offenders involved in domestic abuse.
This must be published within 12 months of the legislation becoming law and be kept under review by the secretary of state.
Both the Commons and Lords must agree on the final form of the Bill before it can receive royal assent and become law.