Bolton North East MP Kirith Entwistle has revealed she is a victim of domestic abuse, saying the criminal justice system is 'enabling perpetrators'. Speaking during a Commons debate, she said she had found the court system 'triggering' and called for so-called 'special measures' - protection or assistance for victims in court - to be offered as standard in domestic abuse cases.
MP's personal experience in court
Ms Entwistle said she had had to watch her abuser 'stare at her' during a recent video hearing, and that when she attended court in person, measures were not put in place, forcing her to walk past her abuser. Measures can include screens, giving evidence over a live-link, or being accompanied while giving evidence.
Speaking in the Commons, she said: "I am speaking today as a victim of domestic abuse who has found going through the courts system especially triggering, and on behalf of constituents who have shared their harrowing experiences with me."
Call for standard special measures
She referred to an amendment to the Courts and Tribunals Bill, which was being voted on in Parliament on Tuesday, put forward by Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller, that would expand the use of remote proceedings. Ms Entwistle said: "As somebody who has been through this very recently, we absolutely need to include an assessment into special measures as well, and look at whether these are adequately communicated to victims. In my case they were not. I experienced an online hearing recently where I had my perpetrator staring at me the entire time."
Asked by Ms Brown-Fuller whether she believed special measures should be in place as standard, Ms Brown-Fuller said: "If somebody chooses to face their perpetrator in court, they can absolutely ask for those things to be removed, but they should just be there as a standard."
Constituents' experiences
Ms Entwistle added: "I think that should be looked at as being a standard measure. I did ask for special measures, but when I turned up at court, they weren't implemented. So I had to walk past my perpetrator before going into the courtroom, and that's what I'm experiencing as a member of Parliament. I dread to think what some of my constituents are experiencing."
She continued: "I'm fed up of being of feeling ignored and dismissed, and so are my constituents. Our justice system exists to protect victims, not enable perpetrators, and we should always, always remember that."
