The Government appointed Nicole Jacobs as Domestic Abuse Commissioner today.
Jennette Arnold OBE AM, Chair of the London Assembly said:
“Leading a national conversation about domestic abuse is an important role. Yet, this appointment should not come at the expense of further Government action on domestic abuse, and the urgent need to legislate in the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill for a Domestic Abusers Register.
“It is now time to get on and do the right thing to protect the vulnerable from serial abusers.
“Today I have written to the new Commissioner and the Home Secretary stressing the need for a register to be part of the Domestic Abuse Bill. [1]
“The new Commissioner needs to see the logic of a Register and we call on her to give potential victims access to vital information about the partners they are beginning a relationship with. Having access to this information could mean the difference between life and death.
“We also need to see increased resources so that the police have the capacity to enforce the law using all the tools available to them
“The Assembly will continue its drive to mitigate the harm caused by serial domestic abusers by pushing for the Bill to include a Domestic Abusers Register.”
Related documents
Letter to the Home Secretary
Letter to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner
Notes to editors
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- Letters to the Commissioner and Home Secretary are attached.
- Jennette Arnold OBE AM is available for interview – see contact details below.
- Read the report from Len Duvall AM - Domestic Abusers Register
- In September 2017, Assembly Members supported a unanimous motion to seek legislative change to allow for the establishment of a register of domestic abuse offenders. The Assembly recommends that the system could work in the same way as the sex offenders’ register, allowing police to hold information on perpetrators in order to better protect survivors.
- All 73 London MPs received a cross party letter from the London Assembly to enlist their support for a Domestic Abusers Register.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
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For media enquiries, please contact Alison Bell on 020 7983 4228. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.