New Measures to Tackle Domestic Abuse

The Home Secretary has recently announced new intended measures to help with the aim of reducing the number of victims of domestic abuse. This includes plans to trial having domestic abuse specialists in 999 room controls to recognise warning signs, help advise on the risks and ensure the appropriate support is provided promptly. 

This will form part of the formal introduction of ‘Raneem’s Law’, named after Raneem Oudeh. Raneem was murdered, alongside her mother Khaola Saleem, by Raneem’s ex-partner in 2018 after she was let down by the system following her numerous previous calls to the police seeking help but resulting in no arrests.

New measures are also being introduced under a new domestic abuse protection order pilot that allows such orders to be made for longer periods and with harsher sanctions for perpetrators who do not comply with the terms of the order.

Recent family court figures show 29% of domestic abuse related court applications in 2023 were made by victims who did not have any legal representation. This is likely to be partially due to the reduction in the number of law firms who offer Legal Aid.

If you are a victim of domestic abuse, one of our experienced Family Department can assist with writing a warning letter to the perpetrator or with applying to court for a type of protective injunction, called a Non-Molestation Order, if necessary. We are also able to undertake this work under Legal Aid funding for those who are eligible and will be able to advise you at the outset whether you should qualify for this funding.

It is usually best to act as quickly as possible when taking legal action in order to maximise your protection, so please do not hesitate to contact TMJ Legal Services and ask to speak to a member of the Family Department for further information. Please contact us by calling 01429 235 616 or email enquiries@tmjlegal.co.uk.