• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Facebook
  • Home
  • About FPP
  • Buy Books
  • Press Releases
  • Newspaper Features
  • Contact FPP

Family Practice Press

Putting Children First

Domestic abuse and sexual offences to be treated as seriously as knife crime

The change to the Serious Violence Duty will be made via an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

From:
Home Office
Published
2 December 2021

Domestic abuse and sexual offences should be considered as seriously as knife crime and homicide, the government announced yesterday as it continues driving forward action to end violence against women and girls.

Changes to legislation currently being considered in Parliament will make clear that a new legal duty requiring public bodies to work together to tackle serious violence can also include domestic abuse and sexual offences.

Introducing a Serious Violence Duty will improve wholesale understanding of the drivers of serious violence and help prevent future crime and tragedy. It will mean that police, government, and health bodies must collaborate locally, so that they can develop more holistic strategies to protect people from harm, including through early intervention.

Yesterday’s announcement bolsters the government’s recently-published strategy for ending violence against women and girls, which takes a whole-system approach to tackling this abhorrent crime. The government has been clear that all responsible parts of the public sector must raise the bar in the handling of domestic abuse and sexual violence cases.

The change to the Serious Violence Duty will be made via an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, following careful consideration and widespread support from campaigners – including the Domestic Abuse Commissioner.

Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said:

Any instance of violence towards another human being is sickening and it is incumbent upon all in authority to try and prevent it from occurring.

There are numerous public sector bodies and agencies with a responsibility to protect young and vulnerable people from harm – and they must get better at working together to deliver for them. That is exactly why the Serious Violence Duty is so important.

Following tireless work on this important issue by Baroness Bertin, I am bringing forward changes to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to make clear that domestic abuse and sexual offences – which do untold and often long-term damage to victims – can be included in local strategies for tackling serious violence.

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs, said:

I am delighted that the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has listened and taken this decision which marks a huge step forward in the government’s approach to tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence.

It sends a very clear message to victims and survivors that tackling and preventing domestic abuse and sexual violence are top priorities and not optional extras. This amendment will ensure there is an early intervention, public health focused approach to tackling serious violent crime.”


« Previous feature | Next Feature »

Contact Us

41 St Georges Drive
London SW1V 4DG

+44 (0)77689 54766

facebook.com/familypracticepress


Copyright Family Practice Press © 2025

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT