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New commitments to tackle sexual and domestic violence on International Women's Day

HOME OFFICE News Release (065/2008) issued by The Government News Network on 8 March 2008

Ten of the 23 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts achieved a successful prosecution rate of over 70 per cent, with one reaching over 80 per cent and the remaining 12 achieving an average rate of 66 per cent according to a Review published today by the Government, as the Home Secretary announced almost £1 million of new funding to tackle both domestic and sexual violence to coincide with International Women's Day.

These innovative Courts use a co-ordinated approach aimed at ensuring victims are protected and supported by bringing together dedicated and trained police, crown prosecutors, court staff and the probation service. Magistrates sitting in these courts are fully aware of the approach and have received dedicated training. Each Court has to offer separate entrances, exits and waiting areas so that victims don't come into contact with their attackers. They also ensure that cases are clustered on a particular day or fast-tracked through the system, limiting the likelihood of further incidents.

Other key findings of the joint Home Office, Crown Prosecution Service and Ministry of Justice Review, which analysed the data and performance of the 23 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts in England and Wales from October 2006 until March 2007, are:

* An improvement in the responses of individual agencies: in relation to the police, a high level of domestic violence perpetrators being arrested (an average of over 80 per cent);

* Just under six thousand victim referrals were made to Independent Domestic Violence Advisers - an average of 269 referrals per IDVA service; and,

* Around three-quarters (74 per cent) of clients involved in the court process were supported by Independent Domestic Violence Advisers at court.

The new funding to tackle domestic and sexual violence announced by the Home Secretary today includes:

* £50,000 for Relate to equip 300 counsellors to respond effectively when victims of domestic violence come forward;

* £760,000 to continue funding the 38 Independent Sexual Violence Advisers being piloted across the country;

* £75,000 for Rape Crisis England and Wales; and

* £75,000 for The Survivors' Trust.

Twenty existing Sexual Assault Referral Centres - a one-stop-shop where victims can receive medical care and counselling and undergo a forensic examination - have also been invited to bid for funding of £15,000 each.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:

"The new £1 million funding and provisions I am announcing today builds on the commitment I made in the Tackling Violence Action Plan last month to reduce serious violent crime, including sexual and domestic violence, over the next three years.

"Improving the support available to the courageous victims of these devastating crimes is crucial in encouraging people to come forward. The success and expansion of the Specialist Domestic Violence Courts system alongside the money I have announced today will ensure that we continue to bring more perpetrators to justice and improve the support and safety of victims.

"We have made good progress on domestic violence over the last ten years but we know there is more to do and I want to reassure women everywhere that keeping them safe from harm is a top Government priority."

The Attorney General, Baroness Scotland QC said:

"The Specialist Domestic Violence Courts are a fundamental part of our efforts to improve the support and care we provide for victims of domestic violence. We are committed to providing a first class prosecution service.

"Domestic violence is brutal and it can be devastating for victims in so many different ways. It is difficult to underestimate the bravery involved when a victim comes forward. By providing specialist training for prosecutors and better support systems for victims we are seeing a tangible difference in performance. In the last four years we have seen marked success - and we need to keep aiming higher.

"Perpetrators must be brought to justice, and when they are our specialist prosecutors and support services will be there to assist victims every step of the way."

Sir Ken Macdonald, Director of Public Prosecutions added:

"Specialist Domestic Violence Courts are just one of the initiatives we have embraced in the Crown Prosecution Service to improve successful prosecutions of domestic violence cases.

"By the end of March we will have trained the vast majority of our prosecutors and we are monitoring our performance on all domestic violence cases. These courts have helped improve our prosecution performance nationally. By December 2007 all courts in England and Wales had reached an average of just under 70 per cent successful outcomes. This is a dramatic improvement when compared with only 46 per cent of cases being prosecuted successfully in December 2003. In four years we have increased our success by over 23 per cent.

"The Review of these specialist systems has clearly indicated improvements in both justice and safety for domestic violence victims."

Justice Minister, Bridget Prentice said:

"Since 1997 this government has done substantial work in trying to tackle this particularly appalling crime. Domestic violence deeply affects victims. It transcends gender, race, class, age and sexuality.

"The work highlighted today is a continuation of the joint National Delivery Plan for Domestic Violence which sets out clear aims and objectives and is proving to be effective in protecting victims and bringing perpetrators to justice.

"The centrepiece is a co-ordinated set of initiatives in the criminal justice system, including the development of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACS) and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAS). Their success shows that where victims of domestic violence have confidence in the criminal justice system to report these crimes, the system will help them."

The Home Secretary today pledged that Section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 will be implemented by this summer and that discussions with other Government Departments will continue in an effort to take this work forward.

* Section 9 - Putting the establishment and conduct of Domestic Homicide Reviews on a statutory footing. This means that police, councils and other local partners would have to undertake a review of the circumstances where a domestic homicide has occurred in order to find out what more can be done to improve the system and prevent future deaths; and

The Home Secretary also said today that work continues with other Government departments to find a permanent solution to the problem of victims of domestic violence, who through their insecure immigration status, have no recourse to public funds. Details of a new scheme where domestic violence victims with no recourse to public funds can have their housing and living costs paid for if their application for Indefinite Leave to Remain is successful will be available this spring.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Specialist Domestic Violence Review was published today at http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/dv/dv018.htm; http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/equality/index.html

2. Further information on Specialist Domestic Violence Courts can be found at http://www.crimereduction.homeoffice.gov.uk/domesticviolence/domesticviolence59.htm

3. Details of the existing twenty Sexual Assault Referral Centres can be found at http://www. http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/sexual-offences/sexual-assault-referral-centres/referral-centre-locations/?version=4

4. More information on The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 can be found at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2004/ukpga_20040028_en_1

5. More information on International Women's Day can be found at http://www.internationalwomensday.com