On 10th March 2021, the House of Lords debated the Domestic Abuse Bill in Report. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:
Votes: Domestic Abuse Bill
Tag: Domestic Abuse Bill 2020
Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Manchester presses Government on financial support for those fleeing domestic abuse
On 8th March 2021 the House of Lords considered amendments to the Government’s Domestic Abuse Bill at its Report Stage. The Bishop of Manchester had co-sponsored amendments with two other Peers, on exempting from the benefit cap for a year all those forced to claim benefits because of domestic abuse. The Government Minister responded to say that guidance would be strengthened to local authorities that those fleeing domestic abuse should be given priority in receiving discretionary housing payments.
The Lord Bishop of Manchester [V]: My Lords, I thank the Minister for her response to this group of amendments, in particular to Amendments 72 and 102, to which I have added my name. I also thank her for her reassurance that local authorities will be given clear encouragement to prioritise the needs of domestic abuse victims, as the noble Lord, Lord Best, requested.
Can she ensure that national statistics on the number of such cases accepted and rejected in each year will be counted and made public?
Votes: Domestic Abuse Bill
On 8th March 2021 the House of Lords considered amendments to the Government’s Domestic Abuse Bill at its Report Stage.
Five bishops took part in a vote on an amendment from Baronesss Campbell of Surbiton on including carers or those with “personally connected lives” in the scope of the Bill to prevent abuse by a care giver. Continue reading “Votes: Domestic Abuse Bill”
Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports amendment on statutory guidance on domestic abuse
On 10th February 2021, the Bishop of Gloucester spoke in support of an amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill tabled by Baroness Lister which would require the statutory guidance in the bill to take into account the government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: My Lords, I metaphorically rise to speak to Amendment 185. I am very grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Lister, for outlining the issues so clearly. It is a real honour to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Hodgson, and I am delighted to have added my name to Amendment 185. I do not want to repeat what they have eloquently said already, all of which I agree with.
The UK is party to international treaties and conventions that make it clear that we must deliver a co-ordinated response and integrated measures to end violence against women and girls. Amendment 185, as we have heard, simply seeks to ensure good join-up: the statutory guidance issued alongside the Bill must be linked to any violence against women and girls framework.
Continue reading “Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports amendment on statutory guidance on domestic abuse”Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London supports amendment on provision of medical letters for abuse victims
On 8th February 2021, during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill, the Bishop of London spoke in support of an amendment tabled by Lord Kennedy of Southwark which would aim to prevent GPs who had a contract with the NHS from charging victims of domestic abuse for letters confirming their injuries which they would need in order to seek legal aid:
The Lord Bishop of London [V]: My Lords, I add my voice to this amendment simply because it should go without saying that some things need to be penned into law for there to be consistent access to justice. Amendment 161 has been tabled because it prevents GPs charging survivors of domestic abuse for letters which confirm injuries they have suffered—evidence which survivors need for their legal aid applications. The case for this amendment has been extremely well made by the noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, and the noble Baroness, Lady Bull. I agree with the statements they have made, so there is no need to add much to what has been said.
Continue reading “Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London supports amendment on provision of medical letters for abuse victims”Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester tables amendment supporting migrant victims of domestic abuse
The Bishop of Gloucester tabled an amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill aimed at safeguarding migrant victims of domestic abuse on 8th February 2021:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester [V]: My Lords, I am again glad to speak in this Committee and draw attention to my interests in the register. It is a great honour to follow the noble Lord, Lord Rosser, and I thank him for his excellent speech.
Amendment 151, in my name, seeks to ensure that migrant victims of abuse have access to refuge spaces and essential support services, as with other victims of abuse. I thank all noble Lords, including the noble Lords, Lord Rosser and Lord Alton of Liverpool, and the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, who have added their names in support of this amendment.
The existing domestic violence rule, or DV rule, is a proven route for a limited group of survivors, including those on certain spousal or partner visas, ensuring that they are able to regularise their immigration status independent of their perpetrator, and can access public funds for a limited time while the application is considered. Since 2002, this has given migrant women a lifeline—an escape route out of abuse, removing the power from abusers who threaten detention, deportation, destitution and separation from children.
Continue reading “Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester tables amendment supporting migrant victims of domestic abuse”Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports amendments on protection for victims of modern slavery and domestic violence in the criminal justice system
On 3rd February 2021, the Bishop of Gloucester spoke in support of amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill which would aim to provide protection for victims of domestic violence and modern slavery under self-defence law:
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester [V]: My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 139 and 140, to which I have added my name. I draw attention to my interests set out in the register. It is an immense privilege to support the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy; I am grateful for her immense wisdom, knowledge and experience. I am also grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Hamwee, for her excellent and candid laying out of the issues. It is a privilege to follow her.
In my role as Anglican bishop for women’s prisons and my recent appointment as Anglican bishop for the whole prison estate in England and Wales, I have made prison visits and spoken with prisoners, volunteers and staff, including governors and chaplains. As president of the Nelson Trust, I have heard first-hand the positive impact of trauma-informed practice in its excellent work with women serving their sentences in the community and women leaving prison.
Continue reading “Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Gloucester supports amendments on protection for victims of modern slavery and domestic violence in the criminal justice system”Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London sponsors amendment on non-fatal strangulation
The Bishop of London spoke during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill on 3rd February 2021, supporting an amendment which would define the act of non-fatal strangulation in a domestic abuse context as an indictable offence and calling for a modernised response to domestic violence cases:
The Lord Bishop of London: My Lords, I thank noble Lords who have preceded me and those who will follow. I also thank the steady campaigners, researchers and wider members of civil society for their tenacity in bringing the issue of non-fatal strangulation to the forefront of the Bill. It is something so nuanced that, if addressed, it has the potential to change the trajectory of women’s lives post strangulation.
Researchers, lobbyists and specialist organisations alike have spent significant proportions of their lives trying to highlight the one thing that we all know to be true: that there is almost always more than meets the eye. That said, I am delighted to have heard that the Government are committed to addressing this issue, and it is good to have heard so many noble Lords speak in favour of the amendment at Second Reading and today.
Continue reading “Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London sponsors amendment on non-fatal strangulation”Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Derby
The Bishop of Derby spoke during a debate on the Domestic Abuse Bill on 1st February 2021, in support of amendment 176, which would clarify the need for specialist domestic abuse services:
The Lord Bishop of Derby [V]: My Lords, I add my voice to those who have already welcomed this Bill and thank the Minister for the Government’s responses so far. I support all the amendments in this group but address my comments to Amendment 176, to which I was pleased to add my name. I am privileged to follow the noble Lord, Lord Polak, and commend his clear and passionate introduction to this amendment.
Although this Bill is welcome and long overdue, its success as legislation must ultimately be measured in how far it improves on current outcomes in supporting survivors of abuse. To that end, Amendment 176 seeks to strengthen the Bill to ensure that all survivors of domestic abuse can equally access the protection and support measures they require.
I too support the Government’s good intentions in including a statutory duty to provide accommodation-based support and appreciated the earlier debate on that provision. However, I fear an unintended consequence: in placing the focus on that support, we risk undermining the funding and provision of specialist community-based services, notably including for many children who are victims of domestic abuse.
Continue reading “Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of Derby”Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London supports amendments on protections for migrant victims of domestic abuse
The Bishop of London spoke in support of amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill intended to safeguard the data of migrant victims of domestic violence against use for immigration control on 1st February 2021:
The Lord Bishop of London [V]: My Lords, I add my voice to those of noble Lords who have welcomed this Bill. I thank the Minister for all her work in this area. As other noble Lords have already said, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the crime of domestic abuse, which affects more than 2 million people a year in the United Kingdom. However, the Bill continues to overlook one of the most vulnerable groups affected by this form of violence against women and girls—migrant women. I too will address Amendment 154, which calls for the Secretary of State to ensure that the personal data of victims of domestic abuse in the UK is processed only for the purpose of that person requesting or receiving support or assistance relating to domestic abuse, not for immigration control.
Government policy is clear that victims of crime should be treated without discrimination. Therefore, the separation of immigration enforcement and protection of domestic abuse victims who are migrant women must be delineated. Failure to do this puts migrant women at risk of a double jeopardy of danger from their abuser and fear of deportation. As has already been highlighted, the Istanbul convention, the landmark international treaty on violence against women and girls, which the Government have signed and are committed to ratifying, requires in Articles 5 and 59 that victims are protected regardless of their immigration status.
Continue reading “Domestic Abuse Bill: Bishop of London supports amendments on protections for migrant victims of domestic abuse”
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