PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Domestic Abuse (29 August 2014)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that all victims of domestic violence are given equal protection irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.

Asked by:
Mr Toby Perkins (Labour)

The legislative framework for protecting victims of domestic abuse already applies to everyone, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.

The Coalition Government is currently consulting on whether the existing law on domestic abuse needs to be strengthened to offer better protection to victims.
The consultation is focused on whether a specific offence should be created that captures patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate relationships, in line with the government’s non-statutory definition of domestic abuse. As part of this consultation, we welcome views on how all victims can be better protected.

Details of the consultation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-law-on-domestic-abuse

The consultation closes on 15 October 2014, after which we will consider carefully the responses received to inform our proposals.

Answered by:
Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)
5 September 2014