Change law, policy and practice to protect victim/survivors from being silenced or unfairly criminalised and address racial injustice


Nearly 70% of women in prison are known to be victims of domestic abuse. The true figure is likely to be higher because of barriers to women disclosing abuse. 

Gaps in law and practice mean that women’s experience of abuse is often not properly taken into account when they are themselves accused of offending.

Whereas householders have additional legal protection where they act in self-defence against an intruder, no such protection is available to victims/survivors acting in self-defence against their abuser. And unlike victims of trafficking, victims of domestic abuse who are coerced into offending have no effective defence in law. Black, minoritised and migrant victim/survivors face additional barriers to justice and support which must be addressed through strategic action.

We are also supporting a campaign led by Rape Crisis for an amendment to the Victims and Courts Bill which would strengthen section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to clearly limit when ‘bad character’ evidence can be used in relation to rape victims, ensuring only truly relevant evidence is admitted. Click here for more information.

 
 

Please urge your MP to:

  • Call on the government to support an amendment to the Victims and Courts Bill which would strengthen section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 to clearly limit when ‘bad character’ evidence can be used in relation to rape victims, ensuring only truly relevant evidence is admitted.

  • Ask the Lord Chancellor to legislate to provide effective defences for victims of domestic abuse who act in self-defence against their abuser, or who are coerced into offending. Implementation of the defences must include guidance, training and accountability mechanisms to address disparities experienced by Black, minoritised and migrant victim/survivors.

  • Support the amendments to the Victims and Courts Bill that will be tabled this autumn to provide effective defences

Click the button below for a template letter you can send to your MP. You can find your MP’s contact details here.

Please let us know how your MP responds.