PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
CURBING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (2 June 1998)

That this House deplores the unacceptable level of violence towards the abuse of women and believes that a thorough review of civil and criminal law is needed to ensure that violent men are prevented from tracing their former partners and then assaulting and killing them; believes that this should include a strengthening of police powers and court sanctions when injunctions are broken, and that there should be a robust policy for arrest and prosecution under the criminal law, an end to the routine bailing of men for breach of the peace, and an end to the downgrading of charges through plea bargaining; supports the implementation of domestic violence awareness training for all those working within the justice system, including family law solicitors and the judiciary; recognises the need to restrict access by violent partners to information about the location of women through court proceedings and the provision of the Children Act 1989; and accepts that men who abuse women forego their right to access.

Sponsored by:
Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)