Hampshire charity says pets can become "mechanisms of control" as new protection law proposed
The new law is hoped to enhance legal protections through expanding orders to cover pets and raising awareness
A Hampshire charity is saying pets can become "mechanisms of control" in domestic abuse situations, as a new protection law is proposed.
Ruby's Law is hoped to enforce stronger legal protections and enhance them to include pets as well as raise more awareness.
Domestic abuse charities like Stop Domestic Abuse say they're trying to mitigate the impacts where victims may feel unable to leave because of a pet.
Rachel Windebank, Operations Director and Deputy CEO of Stop Domestic Abuse, said: "I think it's really helpful to remind ourselves whenever we're talking about domestic abuse, that this isn't just about physical violence.
"It is about power and control, and people that use abusive behaviours in their relationships will often use any tool available to be able to manipulate or trap them.
"A victim's pets, who are often deeply loved family members, can become part of this cycle of abuse and they can become mechanisms of control through things like threats of harm or actual harm.
"The victim may feel that they have to stay within that home to look after and safeguard their pets, and also because they don't want to leave their pets.
"They may have been a real source of emotional support through a really traumatic stage of their life, so that fear and emotional distress could really hold victims back from getting to a place of safety, which we're working really hard to mitigate wherever possible."
Stop Domestic Abuse say they offer some dispersed accommodation units where victims are able to take their pets to.
Ruby's Law is set to be discussed in Parliament.
Ms Windebank added: "I think it will absolutely help and create streams and referral pathways for victims to be able to navigate without a sense of dread that they're going to have to leave their pets.
"We're really proud of the fact that we've got these dispersed accommodation properties where we're able to house victims with their pets.
"We've seen how effective that is to both be able to get to a place of safety, but also for their recovery.
"I think people can sometimes minimise the emotional impact and the benefits.
"Having your pets around you and I think especially when someone's recovering from and processing the trauma they've experienced, their pets provide that level of safety, security and comfort to help support that journey.
"We need to be able to be in a system which validates that and not minimises it."