Coalition's cutbacks hurting domestic violence victims

According to information published today, one in five emergency calls received by police in some parts of England and Wales are related to domestic violence.

But Labour claimed that some measures which it brought in to tackle violence against women and girls while in government were now "under threat" from coalition cuts.

Launching a party policy review on the issue shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Domestic violence is a hidden emergency for over a million women in Britain every year who call out for urgent help but are not properly heard.

"Domestic abuse is still a hidden crime. The scale of it cannot be tolerated."

She added: "One in five of the tens of thousands of 999 calls received by one police force working with us were domestic violence related, and last year the domestic violence rate was twice as high as the burglary rate.

"Two women every week are killed at the hands of their abuser in England and Wales - yet it still isn't given the priority it needs to keep people safe."

Ms Cooper said that while in office Labour had prioritised tackling violence against women and girls with measures such as specialist domestic violence courts, specialist police units and prosecutors, partnerships with councils and housing to support victims.

"But a lot of that work is under threat at the moment, and the truth is we also need to go much further with stronger action to keep people safe," she said.

paddym@peoples-press.com