PM pledges electronic tags, booze bans and tougher sentences for abusers — and more funding for women’s refuges

THROUGHOUT my political career I’ve worked closely with charities, victims, campaign groups, and frontline agencies like the police, to drive forward changes to stamp out domestic abuse.

The Government has a strong record on this issue, and progress has been made, but, tragically, between 2016 and 2017 82 women were killed by a partner or former partner.

That’s a chilling reminder as we mark International Women’s Day that there is still much more to do.

As part of the Government’s plans to introduce a landmark Domestic Abuse Bill we’ve put forward proposals today to give courts more powers, including new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders for compulsory drug or alcohol treatment or electronic tagging to monitor abusers and prevent more attacks.

Breaching these orders would be a criminal offence.

Domestic abuse doesn’t just hurt its immediate victims.

We know that adults who witnessed domestic abuse as a child are far more likely to experience abuse by a partner as an adult.

That’s why we want to introduce even tougher sentences when abuse involves a child.

This despicable crime isn’t just physical. Domestic Abuse can take many forms, which is why we also need to wake up to controlling and coercive behaviour to better spot it and take action.

Under our plans economic abuse will be recognised for the first time as a type of domestic abuse.

If you have your finances withheld, are denied access to employment or transport, or are forced to take out loans – that’s simply not right.

We want to open up the conversation on this issue which means that we expect – indeed hope – that more victims will come forward.

We recognise this will put more pressure on the system and have heard the concerns from charities and tireless campaigning by The Sun for sustainable funding for refuges.

We are committed to that and we want to hear from charities and those on the front line about how best to deliver this.”

Refuges are more than just a bed for the night, they are there to support women when they are at their most vulnerable and fleeing desperate and often dangerous situations.

From my conversations with brave women who have taken this step I know it takes courage to leave your home and it’s vital that women know they will have a place to turn.