“The London Assembly welcomes this consultation on the Domestic Violence Bill. We have been in discussions with the Government and relevant agencies in relation to the Assembly campaign for a Domestic Abusers Register.
International Women’s Day is the appropriate moment to begin consultation on this important piece of future legislation. We need the Government, police and representatives of survivor groups to work together on the detail of this bill.
There are some good proposals in this consultation, but we need all agencies to be proactive rather than reactive. That's why the London Assembly, with the support of the Mayor, is proposing the establishment of a Register to manage serial abusers, or those who need monitoring because they are a risk to others. The Register would also put the emphasis back on the criminal rather than the victim/survivor of these crimes.
There are numerous cases of domestic violence in London, and around the country, that have ended in murder. A Register would help to minimise violence and loss of life in the future.
The fact that all parties on the London Assembly support the call for a Domestic Abusers Register is evidence of the urgency for legislation. We will submit further proposals and evidence in support of the Domestic Abusers Register as part of the Government’s consultation.”
Spokesperson for the London Assembly campaign, Len Duvall AM
Notes to editors
- In 2016, there were almost 150,000 incidents of domestic abuse in London alone. Four in ten survivors of domestic abuse are repeat victims.
- 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.
- Assembly Members are available for interview – see contact details below.
- Read the report from Len Duvall AM - Domestic abuse in London: Addressing the problem
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
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.