New powers to curb abusive partners

[calamity jane]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090308...s-6323e80.html


New powers to curb abusive partners

5 hours 33 mins ago

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Abusive partners could be placed on a register and monitored by police, under plans being considered by the Government. Skip related content
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The move would allow potential future victims to be warned of that person's history. Police could also be given powers to ban offenders from the family home for a fortnight.
The tough proposals will be set out in a consultation document on reducing domestic violence, due to be unveiled by the Home Office next week.
It will include ideas for tackling issues such as partner abuse, honour killings, female genital mutilation and the sexualisation of young girls.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has asked Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Brian Moore to consider what powers the police need to crack down on the problems.
In 2007, 142 people died in domestic attacks, including 38 men. Hundreds of thousands of individuals are thought to suffer some kind of abuse at home every year.
Ms Smith said: "Violence against women and girls is unacceptable in any form.
"We have already made real progress, with domestic violence incidents more than halving in the past 12 years. But I want to start a national debate on what more we can do to prevent it and on challenging attitudes which condone it."
The 'Together we can end Violence against Women and Girls Strategy' will be published on Monday.

[StoneLaughter]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

Great idea; but someone would have to be convicted of an offence first - and that means that someone would likely have to suffer abuse for YEARS before this could happen.

More work needs to be done to find abuse victims and get them to come forward earlier - to achieve convictions earlier - and thereby to reduce the time people spend in abusive situations.

[Amy]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

On the surface of it, this appears to be a good idea, but then again so did 42 day dentention for terrorists.

Those powers were never supposed to be used to enable council officials to investigate the heinous crime of putting the wrong type of rubbish in the wrong type of bin or to track people who didn't pick up their dog mess, it was meant for terrorists.

Or was it?

[Guest]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

I fail to see how this is going to work.

For example, I wonder about the sense of this bit "The move would allow potential future victims to be warned of that person's history."

This is from the same government who support the laws that allowed a teenager to rape his foster parents' infant son and molest their daughter despite those placing him knowing that he had a history of sexual offences.

So, just consider for a moment precisely how "potential future victims" are going to be warned when, in cases where it is known that there is risk, nobody was warned for fear of breaching someone's human rights.

More pointless rhetoric from a bankrupt government.

[Paule]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

At the end of the day, its still a person putting the info into a computer.

That persons view may be totally different from another persons and that could be the difference of the future for the victim or offender.

I have seen some weird cases, at at the initial contact you only have brief info and that that is what you have to react on.
Only later can you look into the background fully and make an informed decision

[enaid]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

Breaking News

Smith attacked on violence campaign


Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was left ashen-faced at the launch of the Government's domestic violence campaign when she was accused of using "gimmicks" and "spin".
Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, stunned ministers and police at the round-table discussion in central London with a verbal assault on the Government's record.
She said Government action so far had been "piecemeal" and condemned plans for a database of serial domestic abusers.
She said: "We have had enough talking - we need action. As for the perpetrators' register, it is a gimmick and doesn't address the root problem.
"The majority of violent men don't come to the attention of police and it won't keep women safe. Police can't be expected to monitor relationships and love lives of offenders."
She added: "The Government is hoping to get away with useless initiatives like this register and it is hypocritical to sound tough and do little."
She said the cases of Sabina Akhtar and Katie Summers showed not enough was being done.
Ms Smith tried to interrupt the tirade but was shouted down before solicitor general Vera Baird stepped in to argue the government's case.
The register is among ideas published in a consultation document on reducing domestic violence and protecting women. The document will also include powers to ban offenders from the family home and policies on "honour" killings and the sexualisation of young girls.
Earlier, Ms Smith told the meeting violence against women was unacceptable whatever the circumstances.

[Amethyst]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

Good for Sandra Horley of Refuge.

I wonder how they are meant to inform 'future potential victims', will you have to check out prospective boyfriends on a register before dating ?

[Guest]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

Good for Sandra Horley of Refuge.

I wonder how they are meant to inform 'future potential victims', will you have to check out prospective boyfriends on a register before dating ?

Precisely! You'd have thought, if this was possible, they would have been able to inform the couple who took in the teenager who subsequently raped their two year old son and sexually assaulted their nine year old daughter, that he had a history of sexual offences beginning in 2004.

It's all falling apart for them and the sooner it happens the better off all of us will be.

[Amethyst]

Re: New powers to curb abusive partners

It's all falling apart for them and the sooner it happens the better off all of us will be.

completely agree.

[Glenn UK]

Good for Sandra Horley of Refuge.

I wonder how they are meant to inform 'future potential victims', will you have to check out prospective boyfriends on a register before dating ?

I suppose branding them on the forehead would work well.

And would also prevent the recurrence of the foster child/rape situation.

Do we think we should have a different font for men and woman or would times new roman be ok for both?

Glenn