Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) have joined Women in Prison and four other leading women’s sector organisations calling for an end to the unjust criminalisation of survivors of domestic abuse and better support for criminalised survivors.
In a joint letter to the Lord Chancellor and other Government Ministers signed by over 100 organisations and individuals, we highlight how survivors are being arrested, sentenced and imprisoned as a result of their experiences of domestic abuse.
CWJ have proposed new legal defences for women who offend as a consequence of abuse, as well as changes in policies and practice by police and the Crown Prosecution Service, to prevent the unjust treatment of women accused of offending in these circumstances.
Harriet Wistrich, Director of Centre for Women’s Justice, said:
“At least 57% of women in prison and under community supervision by probation services are victims of domestic abuse, and for many this is directly linked to their offending. The true figure is likely to be much higher because of barriers to women disclosing abuse. Yet whereas there is a legal defence in place to protect victims of trafficking who offend as a result of their exploitation, there is no such protection for victims of domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls who are accused of offending as a result of their experience of abuse.
”The problem is particularly acute for Black, minoritised and migrant victim/survivors. Systemic change is needed to address this and reflect improved understanding of domestic abuse and coercive control. This must include modernising the law to provide effective defences in these cases. Legal reforms have been introduced in other similar jurisdictions and are overdue here.
“At a time where the government are looking to tackle overcrowding in prisons, one immediate step that could be taken is to stop imprisoning most women who offend as a consequence of their being victims of domestic abuse.”
ENDS