Cheshire charity backs idea of employers offering paid 'safe leave' for domestic abuse victims

It's being introduced in Parliament as part of the Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill

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Author: Adam SmithPublished 7th Jan 2025

Domestic abuse victims would have access to paid time off work to help them stay safe under a proposed law to be tabled in Parliament.

People experiencing domestic abuse would be allowed several days of "safe leave" to assist them in addressing issues related to the abuse, including finding a place of safety, dealing with health issues and attending police interviews.

Labour MP Alex McIntyre will seek to introduce the Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill to the House of Commons on Tuesday in a bid to enable it to be considered further by MPs.

His proposal suggests creating the right to 10 days' paid safe leave although this would be subject to consultation.

Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie is Chief Executive of My CWA (My Cheshire Without Abuse) in Crewe. She told us:

"I really think it's important and will make a big difference. At the moment it's basically pot luck, which I think that's why it's important for government to make it compulsory. If I'm being realistic, I don't know if 10 days is enough.

"You wouldn't believe the range of issues that are employment related. Perpetrators hiding or stealing car keys, locking people in the house, not allowing them to have money for transportation - and also then you've got the going into a refuge, who's going to look after your children?"

Mr McIntyre has met with organisations in his Gloucester constituency to understand the scale of domestic violence in the area, the work being done to support survivors and what else they would like to see.

Better support for survivors in the workplace was among the ideas, including safe leave, according to the MP.

Saskia added: "It's really important we offer people this little bit of extra support so they can go to hospital, turn up to court, you know I've recently been with a client to a police video interview and it took a whole day. I think this is the very least employers can do."

Mr McIntyre told the PA news agency: "The Bill proposes a right to paid safe leave for people experiencing domestic abuse to address issues related to that abuse.

"This could include, for example, finding a place of safety, dealing with health or housing issues, childcare, attending court or police interviews, attending counselling etc."

He added: "This Labour Government has set an ambitious mission to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.

"I fully support this mission and think this Bill would complement that work."

Private members' bills (PMBs) tabled by backbench MPs face a battle to become law due to a lack of parliamentary time.

Mr McIntyre has held talks with ministers about the Government's ongoing work.

He said: "I know that the Home Secretary (Yvette Cooper) and (Justice Secretary) Shabana Mahmood have placed victims and survivors at the heart of this mission and have spoken with (Home Office minister) Jess Phillips and (justice minister) Alex Davies-Jones about the brilliant work that they are already doing.

"This Bill is intended to start a conversation about how we can make workplaces a safer place for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and violence, and I will continue to raise this issue on behalf of my constituents."

Saskia added: "The cost of domestic abuse to businesses in Staffordshire and Cheshire - that's 7.7 million pounds lost to businesses because of decreased productivity or because they can't actually go to work for a whole variety of reasons."

Mr McIntyre will seek to introduce his Bill to the Commons using the 10-minute rule process.

He will have up to 10 minutes to make a speech on why he wants to introduce his PMB and any MP wishing to oppose it can also make a 10-minute speech.

The House will then decide whether or not the PMB should be introduced.

If successful, the PMB is taken to have had its first reading and Mr McIntyre will set a date for when he would like it to be debated at second reading.

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