ISSUES
: Domestic Violence
Chapter 1: Domestic violence
12
Bullying husbands face jail under new
proposals by Theresa May
Home Secretary unveils plan to criminalise ‘domestic abuse’ which involves no violence,
in a bid to crack down on ‘brutal reality’ of intimidation behind closed doors.
By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent
H
usbands who keep their wives downtrodden
could face prison under new plans set out by
the Government today.
Theresa May, the Home Secretary, published
proposals for a new offence of ‘domestic abuse’ that
would criminalise men or women who bully, cause
psychological harm or deny money to their partners.
The law would make the worst cases of non-violent
“controlling behaviour” a jailable offence.
Exact terms of the offence are yet to be defined, but it
could involve humiliating, frightening or intimidating a
partner, keeping them away from friends or family or
restricting their access to money.
A 15-page consultation document issued by the Home
Office said there would have to be a ‘pattern’ of abuse
to trigger a prosecution.
It comes after the Government unveiled a ‘Cinderella’
law earlier this year which will see parents who starve
their children of love and affection being prosecuted
for ‘emotional cruelty’.
Both proposed offences mark a significant incursion
by the State into what have previously been regarded
as private affairs.
Mrs May said she was
clear that
domestic abuse was “not just about violence”. “Within
every community there are people living in fear of
those closest to them,” she said.
“The terrifying reality is that for the most part these
appalling crimes happen behind closed doors. We
must bring domestic abuse out into the open and send
a clear message that it is wrong to put your partner or
your family in fear.”
Although the new domestic abuse offence is mainly
designed to protect wives and girlfriends from male
partners who intimidate them, it will apply equally to
men being targeted by women. The Home Office said
16 per cent of men admit to being victims of domestic
abuse during their lifetimes compared with 30 per cent
of women, according to research.
Women’s Aid, one of the groups working with the
Home Office on the proposals, highlighted the case
of a mother-of-two whose abusive marriage illustrated
the kind of relationship that could be covered by the
law.
She suffered years of psychological abuse from her
husband who, she said, would “put me down”, hide
her possessions and “scream” at her if she came
home late.
“I wasn’t allowed any money for myself,” she said. “He
would spend £200 a week at a strip club; I had to give a
comprehensive budget of everything I was spending.”
In a separate case highlighted by Rachel Horman, a
solicitor who specialises in domestic abuse cases, a
woman was woken in the night by her husband, who
had been drinking.
He ordered her to go to the garage to buy cigarettes
for him, and to bring a receipt to show how much of his
money she had spent.
When she returned without the receipt, he
shouted obscenities at her and ordered her to
get on her knees to beg his forgiveness, which
she did immediately to avoid being hit.
The consultation paper acknowledged that
domestic abuse was already partly covered
by stalking and harassment laws, but it
said a new offence might be necessary
because some experts had argued that
“the law is ambiguous and perpetrators
are … not being brought to justice”.
A new offence would strengthen
protection for people in relationships
“The Government unveiled a
‘Cinderella’ law earlier this year
which will see parents who starve
their children of love and affection
being prosecuted for ‘emotional
cruelty’”
