There are serious gaps in the Domestic Abuse Bill

Is the government making the most of its landmark Domestic Abuse Bill? The legislation is currently at committee stage in the House of Lords, with peers discussing hundreds of amendments. Some have little chance of success, but others point to serious gaps in the Bill which could undermine its overall clout.

One of the most popular amendments has been tabled by Conservative peer Lord Polak and has support from across the House. It calls for public authorities to have a statutory duty to commission support in the community for victims of abuse. Currently, the bill only creates a statutory duty to provide for victims who are in a refuge or supported accommodation. This not only ignores the majority of victims, who do not go into secure accommodation but still have very significant needs, but also continues to place the onus on a victim to leave their home – often with young children –rather than on getting the perpetrator out of that property.