MPs ’‘ urgent’ call for register of abusers

CRIME: Serial stalkers and domestic abusers should be placed on a new national register and monitored under the same arrangements as rapists and paedophiles, according to a House of Commons report.

SERIAL STALKERS and domestic abusers should be placed on a new national register and monitored under the same arrangements as rapists and paedophiles, according to a Commons report.

MPs backed calls for a strengthened regime to ensure greater protection for victims who live in fear of their tormentors.

The Commons Home Affairs Committee recommended that a national register of serial stalkers and domestic violence perpetrators be introduced “as a matter of urgency”.

The report said: “Victims of stalking often endure years of abuse before the crime is taken seriously.

“We were told that existing criminal justice responses were often ineffective in stopping perpetrators.”

Calls for a register have been led by Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service, which told the committee in a written submission: “A radical cultural shift is needed as current police practice is dire and not working.

“The register will save lives and money.”

In another recommendation, the Committee urged the Government to consult on introducing paid “domestic abuse leave” to help victims keep their jobs and maintain economic independence while escaping abuse.

The findings were set out in a wide-ranging assessment of the Government’s strategy for tackling domestic abuse.

Plans unveiled by Ministers earlier this year include new orders to place restrictions such as electronic tagging on abusers, a new statutory definition of domestic abuse including a reference to “economic” abuse, and tougher sentences for crimes that affect children.

The Committee’s report flagged up a “desperate shortage” of refuge accommodation and raised concerns that welfare reforms are making it difficult for victims to leave their abusers.

It also said that while evidence indicates the police response to victims of domestic abuse is improving, there continue to be instances where it is “inadequate”.

Yvette Cooper, Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, who chairs the Committee, said: “Domestic abuse is one of the most dangerous and the most common crimes there is. The Government is rightly proposing new legislation and a new strategy, but our inquiry found much stronger action is needed across the board.”

An estimated 1.9m adults experienced domestic abuse in the year to March 2017, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

The Government said improving the management of serial domestic abuse perpetrators and stalkers is high on its agenda, adding that it has been working to examine the current framework in detail.

It acknowledged there was scope to improve information sharing, risk assessment and disclosure.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for domestic abuse Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe said inquiries examining the response of police forces to domestic abuse have acknowledged there have been “substantial improvements in leadership, training, initial response, safeguarding of victims and investigations”.

She added that figures show prosecutions have increased substantially.

A scheme which allows people to find out whether their partner has a history of domestic violence began in 2011.

Clare’s Law was named after Batley woman Clare Wood, who was murdered by an abusive former boyfriend in 2009.

Our inquiry found much stronger action is needed. Yvette Cooper, chairwoman of the Commons Home Affairs Committee.