Legal News
Home secretary urges government to tackle domestic violence (17 March 2014)
Date: 17/03/2014
According to crime statistics, domestic violence convictions fell significantly in the West Midlands last year as leading politicians called for a greater focus on figures on such crimes in order to get a greater number of abusive partners behind bars.
There were 27,853 cases reported in the West Midlands in 2013 compared to a sizeable 46,829 reported in 2009/10 while convictions fell from 3,168 to 2,570 during the same period. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper believes the figures show victim support and justice getting worse and she called on the government to address the issue.
Nationwide figures revealed that there were 838,000 domestic abuse reports made to police last year but just six per cent of those resulted in a conviction. In Staffordshire, the rape conviction to case percentage dropped from 20.8 per cent to 15.8 per cent last year while in West Mercia it fell from 12.4 per cent to 10.3 per cent.
Ms Cooper added: “The scale of domestic abuse is shocking. For too long, this has been considered a marginal issue. But, domestic abuse now accounts for one in five violent crimes committed across the country. Two million victims are affected every year; it puts lives at risk, scars children and destroys families. The government needs to wake up to the urgency of this situation.”
Duncan Lewis' experienced team of domestic violence solicitors can provide advice and assistance to victims. With several offices in London, we can reach you within the hour. Our team is available 24/7, 365 days a year.