New laws only help domestic abuse victims if there’s cash to enforce them

Responding to the publication of the long awaited Draft Domestic Abuse Bill, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Ed Davey said:

Every case of domestic abuse is an abhorrent and unthinkable crime. So we must get behind this welcome work to improve the law and court procedures.

However, Ministers have taken rather too long to come forward with these ideas, and if we are to get people the support and justice they deserve, there must not be any more unnecessary delay.

And Ministers must be honest enough to admit that new laws won’t make any difference if there aren’t higher budgets to enforce the laws and protect victims too.

Liberal Democrats want more funding for refuges and rape crisis centres and a new national rape crisis helpline to support victims, increase the chances of convictions and back up any legal change.