Charity 'hopeful' over new domestic abuse powers

My Sister's Place in Middlesbrough gets 100 referrals a week

A domestic abuse charity is "very hopeful" that new powers given to a police force will help protect victims.

Cleveland Police is the latest force to join a pilot which gives officers greater powers to keep abusers away from victims.

Other forces including three boroughs in London, Greater Manchester Police and the British Transport Police are taking part in the pilot.

The head of Middlesbrough charity My Sister's Place Lesley Storey said she "welcomed" the move and hoped for more funding for victim support.

The Cleveland force is taking part in the pilot for two years during which time its effectiveness will be monitored.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it expected a nationwide rollout of the powers in the future, though it did not say when this would be.

The new powers, called Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs), allow police to issue orders against domestic abusers even when there is not enough evidence to charge them.

Currently police can issue orders preventing alleged perpetrators from contacting victims for up to 28 days.

But the new orders have no time restrictions, Cleveland Police said.

Ch Supt Caroline McGlade said victims would be protected "for as long as needed to stay safe".

Ms Storey said she hoped the scheme would deter abusers from restarting attacks after 28 days.

Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said the new powers imposed "more wide-reaching restrictions on perpetrators".

'Conviction for breaches'

They also do not rely on victims going to the police and can be applied for on their behalf by friends and family.

"This is really key because some women are just not in a position where they can even speak out," Ms Storey said.

Breaching the orders are punishable with a maximum sentence of up to five years.

The MoJ said there had already been multiple convictions for order breaches since the pilot's launch.

'Controlling vile abusers'

Ms Storey said domestic abuse had "blighted" families and communities in Middlesbrough.

She said the charity had seen a significant increase in referrals since the Covid pandemic and now received about 100 a week.

"Shelters are absolutely bursting at capacity," she said.

Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls, Alex Davies-Jones, said: "This is a positive step forward in better protecting victims of domestic abuse and in our mission to halve violence against women and girls.

"The evidence from Manchester and London is that DAPOs are working and the rollout in Cleveland will provide more victims and families with the immediate protection they deserve from the vile abusers controlling their lives."

Ms Storey also said she was "optimistic" about the pilot and that its effectiveness would be monitored.

"The women and children of Middlesbrough need this to work," she said.