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