‘If We Let Domestic Abusers Skip Rehabilitation Courses Then Lives Will Continue to Be Lost’

Some domestic abuse offenders will no longer have to complete rehabilitation courses in an effort to relieve pressure on probation services. However, when one woman is killed by an abusive partner or ex-partner every five days, the justice system cannot afford to sweep domestic abuse under the rug.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is almost commonplace, with one in four women experiencing domestic abuse in their lifetime. However, this figure likely represents just the tip of the iceberg as domestic abuse is severely underreported.

So, why, amid this horrifying epidemic of male violence against women, are even more resources being diverted away from keeping women safe?

It has been announced that, in an effort to reduce pressure on the overstretched probation service, rehabilitation courses for so-called ‘low-risk offenders’ will be cancelled. These offenders will include some domestic abuse perpetrators.

While Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has confirmed that offenders will still receive supervision from a probation officer upon leaving prison, this concerning development is likely to be incredibly worrying for survivors of domestic abuse whose perpetrators are being released. 

The Government has pledged to halve VAWG within the next decade, but at present, women and girls are still being failed by the very systems that are supposed to protect them.

The recent report by Dame Nicole Jacobs, ‘Shifting the scales: Transforming the criminal justice response to domestic abuse’, revealed women’s confidence in the justice system is at an all-time low. 

Make no mistake — Refuge recognises the need to ease pressure on the probation service, but the justice system cannot simply cut corners at the expense of women’s safety.

Moreover, we know that the current rehabilitation programmes are not a perfect solution when it comes to preventing domestic abuse — concerns have been raised previously about the effectiveness of these courses, particularly when there is so much more that needs to be done to protect survivors.

And yet, abandoning these programmes altogether, rather than evaluating current results and identifying areas of improvement, sends an extremely concerning messaging with regards to the extent of which VAWG is being prioritised.

This is not the first time the safety of domestic abuse survivors has been jeopardised by attempts to mitigate cracks in the system.

Take the SDS40 early release scheme, for example. Launched last year to address overcrowding in prisons, it resulted in a number of domestic abuse perpetrators being freed.

While a list of exemptions was put in place, it was far from comprehensive and, as it stands, does not include all domestic abuse offenders, such as those charged with common assault. It also excludes offenders with a history of domestic abuse who were imprisoned for an unrelated offence.

Additionally, some survivors were unaware their perpetrators were being released, as the insufficient Victim Contact Scheme only covers serious sexual or violent offences where the offender receives a custodial sentence of 12 months or more.  

We are all too aware of the grave repercussions when the criminal justice system fails to recognise the real risk abusers pose to survivors’ safety. Even though released offenders will be monitored by the probation service, the murders of Zara Aleena, Terri Harris, Connie Gent, Lacey Bennett and John Bennett highlight the fatal consequences of missed opportunities by probation officers to properly assess and manage the risk of harm posed to women and their children.

Now, the notion that some domestic abuse offenders will receive even less supervision from probation officers due to the cancellation of rehabilitation courses is deeply troubling.

At Refuge, we know all too well that domestic abuse is never a ‘low-risk’ crime. We provide lifesaving support for thousands of women and children every year, but if the safety of these women is not prioritised within the justice system, lives will continue to be lost.

We support the Justice Secretary’s plans to recruit an additional 1,300 probation officers to improve the monitoring of perpetrators, but this must be coupled with mandatory, high-quality training on domestic abuse and VAWG.

The alarming lack of adequate training is not our only concern regarding the justice system’s management of VAWG.

Dame Jacobs’ recent report found that 96% of police officers accused of abuse are allowed to keep their jobs, setting a chilling precedent for how seriously VAWG is treated. When police forces fail to root out domestic abusers within their own ranks, it is no wonder women have such little faith in the system’s ability to keep them safe.

Alongside a serious overhaul of the justice system, we have made it clear that increased funding for domestic abuse services is vital in tackling VAWG. Many services are at breaking point after years of chronic underfunding, and with the Spring Budget fast approaching, we urge the Government to allocate ring-fenced, multi-year funding for specialist organisations to ensure as many survivors as possible can access lifesaving support.

We cannot forget that domestic abuse is happening every day — as you read this, one of your friends, family members or colleagues could be experiencing abuse.

Refuge will never stop speaking out for survivors, but we need our Government — including the justice system — to make good on its pledge to halve VAWG. The impact of domestic abuse cannot be undermined, ignored or trivialised. It is time for all of us to start listening to survivors to ensure no more lives are taken by violence.