As part of their ambitious plans to halve Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) over the next decade, the government has announced some new measures designed to support victims and take tougher action against perpetrators.
In the past few weeks, new measures have been announced to clamp down on stalking and also spiking, plus it is anticipated that there may be additional measures announced in the New Year.
We welcome the government’s commitment to tackling all forms of VAWG, particularly through the measures that are being introduced.
However, there must be tough consequences on perpetrators and these measures must be coupled with increased resources for support organisations.
New Spiking Offence
Whilst spiking is already a criminal offence, the new measures will see it become a specific law – it is currently covered across several different pieces of legislation. This means that it will provide clarity on what spiking entails, as well as clear guidance on how the courts and police should respond.
The government hopes that this will also raise awareness of this important issue and encourage more people to come forward, if they experience it. Bars, clubs, and other venue staff will also receive increased training around spiking, helping them to spot the signs that someone has been spiked and providing guidance on how they can effectively respond. Read more in this BBC article about effective intervention when spiking is suspected.
New Stalking Measures
The government has also pledged to tackle stalking, with new “Right to Know” guidance drafted to empower the police to release the identity of an online stalker at the earliest opportunity. This information was not previously disclosed, meaning that those experiencing stalking online would not know the identity of their stalker, potentially putting them in danger.
Greater protections will be provided by Stalking Protection Orders, which will become easier to obtain. At the moment, they will only be imposed by the courts if specifically requested by the police.
Under new measures, courts will be given the power to impose Stalking Protection Orders directly at conviction – or even on acquittal if there is enough evidence to suggest that they are still a risk to the victim.
These Orders provide protections for victims, ensuring that perpetrators comply with requirements such as not contacting them or not going within a certain distance of their victim. It is hoped that these enhanced measures will encourage more people to come forward, as well as taking tougher action against perpetrators.
Our Verdict on the Proposals
It is encouraging to see the government pledge their commitment to tackle all forms of VAWG and we welcome the new measures that they have brought forward. However, it is important that there are strong punishments for perpetrators that break Protection Orders and that any requirements placed on them are robustly monitored.
It is also vital that the response to these offences and the application of new measures is consistent across the country and any punishment reflects the severity of the offence.
We also hope that the government provides greater resources for specialist support organisations, as we know that this is often the most common avenue for someone experiencing domestic abuse or other forms of violence to access support.
We are hopeful that we will see more measures announced in the coming months to tackle domestic abuse and take tough action against perpetrators.
