New measures have come into force to protect victims and survivors of domestic abuse. As of Monday, October 5, courts will be required to make a formal record when domestic abuse was a factor in offending.
New court marker for domestic abuse
This new marker will help police, prisons and probation better identify and manage perpetrators and protect victims. The Ministry of Justice says domestic abuse is already recognised as an aggravating factor in a wide range of offences, such as assault or stalking, but until now there has been no consistent way to record this once an offender is convicted.
This made it harder to identify abusers, manage the risks they posed and identify patterns of repeat offending. Under the new measures, the courts must now state in open court when an offence involved domestic abuse, creating for the first time a single, clear court record that can be shared across the criminal justice system.
Minister and Commissioner welcome change
This will ensure perpetrators are identified and managed more effectively by enabling more tailored interventions to address abusive behaviour. Alex Davies-Jones, Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls and International Justice, said: "Too many victims have suffered because patterns of abusive behaviour have not always been recognised across the justice system."
"This is an important step towards better identifying dangerous perpetrators, protecting victims and delivering on our commitment to halve violence against women and girls." Dame Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner, added: "This marks a step change in our ability to track domestic abuse perpetrators through the criminal justice system - something I have long called for."
How offenders will be tracked
Following the change, court flags will be shared with relevant partners and agencies, and be visible on police, probation and prison digital systems. This will give frontline staff a clearer picture of an offender’s history, helping them assess and manage risk effectively and better identify repeat domestic abuse offenders.
More widely, victims are being supported through a new Victim Support helpline, funded as part of an £18 million support package, while the Prime Minister has blocked offenders convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences and grooming from benefiting from upcoming sentencing changes. Victims will also be better protected through the expansion of electronic monitoring, including world-first restriction zones designed to keep the highest-risk offenders away from those they have harmed.
