Domestic Abuse Bill receives royal assent

Measures introduced in the Act include:

• providing a broad legal definition of domestic abuse which incorporates abuse beyond physical violence
• ensuring that abusers will no longer be allowed to directly cross-examine their victims in the family and civil courts in England and Wales
• establishing in law the office of Domestic Abuse Commissioner and setting out the Commissioner’s functions and powers
• giving victims better access to special measures in the courtroom to help prevent intimidation
• providing police with new powers including Domestic Abuse Protection Notices to provide victims with immediate protection from abusers
• enabling courts to hand out new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders to help prevent offending by forcing perpetrators to take steps to change their behaviour
• amendments proposed earlier in 2021, including creating a new offence of non-fatal strangulation and widening revenge porn laws.
• imposing a legal duty on councils across England to provide support such as therapy, advocacy and counselling in safe accommodation
• providing that all eligible homeless victims of domestic abuse automatically have ‘priority need’ for homelessness assistance
• placing the guidance supporting the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme ('Clare’s law') on a statutory footing