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Survivors of domestic abuse need legal aid more than new law
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Anyone following family law news recently may have spotted a connection lost on some of our law-makers. In August the Home Office launched
Strengthening the Law on Domestic Abuse – A Consultation which posed the following questions:
- Does the current law adequately provide sufficient protection to victims of domestic abuse?
- In what ways could the law be strengthened?
- How would any changes you suggest be practically implemented?
- Does the current law sufficiently capture the Government’s non-statutory definition of domestic abuse?
The consultation focuses on the merits of creating of a discreet criminal offence of domestic abuse. It is however silent as to whether the law is in equal or even greater need of ‘strengthening’ within the civil jurisdiction. The consultation acknowledges that ‘changing the law can only ever be one limb of our overarching strategy to end domestic abuse’. If these ‘limbs’ are to be co-ordinated effectively ...
Read the full article here.
