MPs demand urgent action plan to tackle rise in domestic abuse during lockdown

Urgent action is needed to tackle a rise in domestic abuse, triggered by the stay-at-home advice under the coronavirus lockdown, according to a group of MPs.

The Commons Home Affairs Committee warned that without urgent steps to address the issue, families and communities would be dealing with the “devastating consequences” for a generation to come.

Calls to helplines for victims have increased markedly – with evidence incidents were becoming more complex and serious with “higher levels of violence and coercive control”.

One organisation – Counting Dead Women – has calculated that between 23 March, when the lockdown began, and 12 April there were at least 16 domestic abuse killings of women and children.

While the committee welcomed a public information campaign launched by the government earlier this month, it said ministers needed to go further with a full action plan led by the home secretary.

The committee said the plan should include access to information and support, prevention and outreach, housing support and refuge accommodation, as well as a “strong criminal justice response”.

In particular, it said support services for domestic abuse and vulnerable children needed “urgent and direct funding”, otherwise victims would be put “at much greater risk of harm”.

It urged ministers to set up an emergency funding package, ringfenced within the £750m fund the government has promised for charities dealing with the coronavirus crisis.

The committee said the national strategy should be backed up by local action plans produced by all local authorities as part of their emergency COVID-19 preparations.

Committee chairman Yvette Cooper said: “Staying at home is an important part of the strategy to prevent coronavirus from spreading and save lives, but for some people home isn’t safe.

“Urgent action is needed to protect victims and prevent perpetrators from exploiting the lockdown to increase abuse.

“The emotional, physical and social scars from domestic abuse can last a lifetime. If we don’t act to tackle it now, we will feel the consequences of rising abuse during the coronavirus crisis for many years to come.”

Safeguarding minister Victoria Atkins said: “The government has prioritised those at risk of domestic abuse in this national health emergency. This has included a dedicated national campaign to provide practical help to victims, and
supporting charities by giving them the funding and the resources they specifically said they needed to help people through this crisis.

“We are taking action across government. Alongside the #youarenotalone campaign, we are increasing funding to boost online services, helplines and technology support at the request of charities, and I am working with the domestic abuse commissioner about how they can use the government’s £750m fund to further support victims.”

If you suspect you are being abused and need to speak to someone, there are people who can help you.

:: The National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247

:: Women’s Aid

:: Refuge

:: Respect, the helpline for male domestic abuse victims: 0808 8010327

:: Galop, the LGBT+ anti-violence charity: 0800 999 5428

(c) Sky News 2020: MPs demand urgent action plan to tackle rise in domestic abuse during lockdown