Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Support for Domestic Abuse Survivors

Tuesday 28 January 2025 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Anna Sabine raised concerns about the prolonged legal process for sexual assault survivors, highlighting the trauma this causes beyond the initial assault.
  • Chris Webb inquired about the low charge rate for rape and sexual offences in Lancashire and sought measures to boost confidence in the criminal justice system.
  • Josh Babarinde questioned the government's inability to provide data on domestic abusers in prison and their reoffending rates, advocating for legislative changes to address this issue.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Anna Sabine Lib Dem Frome and East Somerset
Justice & Courts Women & Equalities
Context

A constituent reported a sexual assault in Somerset more than two years ago but has only received a court date for December 2025, finding the process traumatising.

Question

I have a constituent from Somerset who was seriously sexually assaulted in another county over two years ago. Despite reporting it in 2022, she is scheduled to appear in court in December 2025. She says that the legal process involving both courts and police has been more traumatic than the assault itself. What better support can we offer women who face such prolonged waiting times?

Answer from Sarah Sackman (Minister of State, Ministry of Justice)

We are addressing the Crown court backlog by increasing sitting days and expanding magistrates’ sentencing powers. We are also investing in the victim transformation programme through the Crown Prosecution Service to engage victims more effectively and expedite trial dates.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures or timeline for reducing court delays directly related to sexual assault cases like the constituent's.

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Q2 Chris Webb Lab Blackpool South
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

Only 4% of reported rape and sexual offences led to charges or summons in Lancashire police last year.

Question

It has been revealed that just 4% of rape and sexual offences reported to the Lancashire police in the past year resulted in a charge or summons. What steps will be taken to restore confidence in the criminal justice system for my constituents?

Answer from Sarah Sackman (Minister of State, Ministry of Justice)

We have a landmark ambition to halve violence against women and girls, and the criminal justice system plays an important role. We are driving charging decisions and aiming to increase conviction rates by providing swifter justice for victims through reforms to reduce the Crown court backlog.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures or timeline for improving charging and conviction rates directly addressed in the question.

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Q3 Josh Babarinde Lib Dem Eastbourne
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The system inherited from the Conservatives does not robustly calculate the number of domestic abusers in prison or their reoffending rate.

Question

In a recent written parliamentary question, I asked how many domestic abusers are in prison and what their reoffending rate is. The Government said it is not possible to calculate this robustly. My Domestic Abuse (Aggravated Offences) Bill aims to correct this loophole by creating an offence of domestic abuse. When will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss my Bill and how we can better protect victims?

Answer from Sarah Sackman (Minister of State, Ministry of Justice)

Tackling domestic abuse is a priority. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 sets out a statutory definition that improves understanding of abuse behaviours. While not an independent offence, it serves as an aggravating factor in the criminal justice system.

Not addressed: Did not commit to meeting or discussing the bill and instead focused on existing legislation without addressing specific concerns about data collection.

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