Domestic abuse law ‘offers proper protection’
NEW domestic abuse laws approved by the States last week will ensure that offenders will no longer ‘fall through gaps in out-dated legislation’.
A new law was approved unanimously by the States last week, legislating for a new specific offence for domestic abuse, alongside a suite of other offences and updates to that area of the law.
‘No issue has been more important to me and the value of these changes cannot be overstated,’ said Deputy Sue Aldwell, the political lead for domestic abuse on the Committee for Home Affairs.
‘Victims of domestic abuse have been at the front and centre of our minds when working on this new law, and we wanted to modernise the law in a way which properly supports and protects them.’
She said that Home Affairs would be monitoring the impact of the law in terms of cases coming to the attention of police and coming before the courts.
The legislation updates are Home Affairs’ latest moves in modernising and improving sexual offences laws locally, for which it was praised in the States last week.
As well as aiming to protect and empower victims, they look to empower the courts, law enforcement and supporting services, and training will be given across all sectors before the law comes into effect.
‘At the start of this term the committee undertook to prioritise updating sexual offences and domestic abuse legislation across the board, because the island’s laws were often outdated.
‘This is the latest of the now many steps we have taken to achieve that priority, following the implementation of the domestic abuse and sexual violence strategy,’ said Home Affairs president Deputy Rob Prow.
‘It is vital that the law contains the right protections for victims of these unacceptable types of offences, and it is equally as important that the authorities responsible have the tools to do so effectively.
‘This legislation provides for both of those areas, and I am optimistic it will make a serious difference in the way these offences are handled, in turn making the Bailiwick a safer place for all.’
The legislation has been based on recent updates in Scotland and the Isle of Man. It includes the introduction of new domestic abuse protection notices, to give the police tools to protect a person from further risk of abuse, and domestic abuse protection orders, which can impose longer-term requirements and prohibitions on offenders.
An amendment to harassment legislation means that a restraining order can be imposed after conviction for any offence, or after acquittal.
