Labour

Recognising the devastating impact of coercive control and effects of domestic abuse on younger teenagers is really important - Cooper

Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities and Shadow Home Secretary, commenting on the new guidelines the Home Office is bringing in for domestic abuse cases, said:  

“Recognising the devastating impact of coercive control and also the effects of domestic abuse on younger teenagers is really important.  

“However, instead of widening the number of people getting help for domestic violence, the Government has actually introduced greater restrictions on people getting support – especially through the legal aid act earlier this year.  

“This definition is not statutory and does nothing to reverse this Government’s decision to use much narrower criteria and tests for granting legal aid in domestic violence cases. Nor does it address the disproportionate cuts of 31% to refuges and services supporting women escaping violence. And Ministers have failed to recognise the serious risks in the design of Universal Credit both to refuge funding and to vulnerable women’s financial independence, which could make it harder for them to leave abusive relationships.  

“Action on domestic abuse should recognise wider abuse and control and the impact on younger people to. But if it is to make a practical difference, the Government needs to take action over the scale of cumulative cuts to domestic violence services and their own legal changes which are making things worse.”