Domestic Abuse Defence Personnel 2025-03-24

2025-03-24

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Josh Babarinde LD
Eastbourne
Context
According to King's College London, one in ten of the UK's armed forces personnel is a survivor of domestic abuse. The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that without a specific offence of domestic abuse in the law, it cannot comprehensively identify perpetrators, and thus cannot effectively rehabilitate them or keep victims safe.
According to King’s College London, one in ten of our armed forces personnel is a survivor of domestic abuse, but because there is no specific offence of domestic abuse in the law, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed that it cannot comprehensively identify perpetrators and therefore cannot comprehensively rehabilitate them or keep victims and survivors safe. Will the Minister join me and colleagues across the House in campaigning for a specific offence of domestic abuse in the law so that we can better protect our armed forces personnel from domestic abuse?
It is completely clear to me that any sort of domestic abuse in any way, shape or form in the armed forces is completely unacceptable. If we can help to address and track some of that through the armed forces, it will make it far easier to deal with and ensure rehabilitation.
Assessment & feedback
The specific ask for a new offence of domestic abuse was not directly addressed.
Response accuracy