Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Support for Black Victims of Domestic Abuse — [Sir Christopher Chope in the Chair]

28 March 2022 · 12 other contributors · 11,710 words

Opened by Abena Oppong-Asare Lab Erith and Thamesmead

Responding minister: Rachel Maclean

Crime & Law EnforcementWomen & Equalities

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Abena Oppong-Asare raised concerns about support for black victims of domestic abuse — [sir christopher chope in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Concerns raised about black women being less likely to receive referrals for specialist support from the police and more likely to report severe forms of physical and sexual abuse.
  • The petition calls for mandatory specialist training for police and other government agencies on domestic abuse needs specific to victims of different ethnicities.
  • The lead MP asks for substantial ringfenced funding for specialist services run by and for black women and girls.

Key requests to Government

The petition demands the Government to provide specialist training on domestic abuse needs specific to victims of different ethnicities. The lead MP asks for mandatory training for all agencies helping victims, substantial ringfenced funding for specialist services run by and for black women and girls, further research into violence dynamics experienced by black women and robust data collection.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Abena Oppong-Asare Lab Erith and Thamesmead

The petition calls for specialist training to be mandatory for police and other government agencies supporting black women and girls affected by domestic abuse. The speaker highlights that black women are less likely to receive referrals from the police for specialist support and are more likely to report severe forms of physical and sexual abuse than white survivors. She mentions incidents like a 15-year-old girl being strip-searched without finding any drugs, highlighting institutional racism in the police force and the need for basic trust that the police will treat black women with respect.

Other contributors (12)
  • Alex Sobel Lab Co-op Leeds Central and Headingley

    Sobel advocated for mandatory training on various issues, including domestic abuse, as recommended by the Macpherson inquiry 20 years ago. He stressed that police handle black and minority ethnic communities differently compared to white ones.

  • Apsana Begum Lab Poplar and Limehouse

    Supported Meg Hillier's speech, highlighting a Home Office pilot scheme run by Southall Black Sisters to help women with no recourse to public funds who are victims of domestic abuse. Raised concerns about potential funding cuts that could force these women to stay in abusive relationships.

  • David Lammy Lab Tottenham

    The MP supports the lead MP's concerns about mandatory training for police officers to understand the specific needs of black victims of domestic abuse.

  • Diane Abbott Ind Hackney North and Stoke Newington

    Diane Abbott highlighted the importance of Valerie Forde's case, noting her tragic death in 2014 and emphasizing the need for recognition beyond victim status. She discussed institutional racism through the example of Child Q and pointed out disproportionate strip searches on black children in London. Abbott shared personal experiences with domestic abuse to illustrate the reluctance of black women to seek help from institutions due to pride, fear, or acceptance of patriarchy. She stressed the necessity of community organizations like Sistah Space for supporting victims and emphasized the need for training across all institutions dealing with domestic violence. The MP highlighted the issues facing south Asian women in cases of domestic abuse and urged the Minister to pay attention to the work done by groups such as Southall Black Sisters.

  • Florence Eshalomi Lab Co-op Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

    Eshalomi paid tribute to Sistah Space's work, noting that over 800 residents in her constituency signed a petition addressing the issue. She highlighted research showing black women were less likely to be referred to support services by the police and more likely to report abuse initially but face serious underestimation of their risk. Eshalomi stressed the need for the Government to address racial disparities in how victims are treated. I thank the Minister for giving way and for her remarks so far. I emphasise that for each constituent we referenced, there are thousands of other constituents who have not come forward, because they feel that no one will ever listen to them.

  • Holly Lynch Lab Rhondda

    Discussed the intersectional barriers black women face in reporting and accessing support for domestic abuse, citing high rates of homicide, cultural bias, and inadequate training for professionals. Emphasized the need for mandatory cultural competency training and sustainable funding for specialist refuges.

  • Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East

    Will the Department look at suicide rates among victims of domestic abuse? In some cases, violence in relationships ends up with women taking their own lives. I query whether this is documented or will it form part of the strategy.

  • Kirsten Oswald SNP East Renfrewshire

    Ms Oswald highlighted the systemic discrimination leading to inequalities and disadvantage for black women. She emphasized the need for culturally appropriate training for police and government agencies supporting black women affected by domestic abuse, as requested in Valerie's law petition. She noted that black women are less likely to report or disclose domestic abuse to the police compared to other ethnic groups, making them more vulnerable.

  • Marsha de Cordova Lab Battersea

    She highlighted the need for the Government and police to recognise institutional racism, which is crucial for building trust and confidence in Sistah Space's campaigning tools.

  • Meg Hillier Lab Co-op Hackney South and Shoreditch

    Paid tribute to Valerie Forde, a constituent whose murder highlighted disparities in support for black women victims of domestic abuse. Cited data showing police forces were 1.5 times more likely to bring forward charges against white victims than black ones from 2016-2020. Emphasised the need for specialist community services and greater representation of black women at policy level.

  • Taiwo Owatemi Lab Coventry North West

    Ms Owatemi expressed concern about institutional barriers preventing black women from receiving adequate support in cases of domestic abuse. She highlighted that police recorded crimes of domestic abuse have doubled over the past five years, while prosecutions have declined to historic lows. According to Sistah Space, 86% of African or Caribbean heritage women in the UK have been victims of domestic abuse or know someone who has. Ms Owatemi also noted that black survivors are less likely than white survivors to be referred by police to domestic abuse services provided by Refuge.

  • Tulip Siddiq Lab Hampstead and Highgate

    Siddiq mentioned that 628 people from her constituency signed the petition, expressing concern over the lack of trust due to scandals involving racism and sexism at Charing Cross police station. She supported specialist domestic violence training for the police as a first step in rebuilding trust.

Government Response

Rachel Maclean

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. I thank the hon. Member for Erith and Thamesmead (Abena Oppong-Asare) for introducing the debate and setting out the excellent work of Sistah Space. As Minister, I look forward to meeting them to discuss their work in detail and seeing how we can constructively take it forward. I acknowledge Valerie's influence and impact on her community, and emphasise the need to use every measure at our disposal to prevent further tragedies. Our landmark Domestic Abuse Act 2021 strengthens the response across all agencies and measures to protect victims, including children. The Government are taking action through our domestic abuse plan and 'Tackling violence against women and girls' strategy. We recognise barriers to coming forward and funding specialist services for victims of domestic abuse with £3.5 million in the last financial year. The Ministry of Justice funding for support services will increase to £185 million by 2024-25. The forthcoming domestic abuse plan and guidance aim to tackle specific types of abuse experienced by different communities, including black and ethnic minority victims. We are finalising guidance that mentions barriers to disclosing domestic abuse faced by ethnic minority victims. The Crown Prosecution Service is launching a consultation on its domestic abuse legal guidance with information on the impact on different groups, including black and ethnic minority victims. The CPS is developing new training programmes through engagement with community groups and stakeholders. Training for police includes mandatory foundation training that covers hate crimes, ethics, and equalities, as well as policing without bias. Specialist domestic abuse training, the Domestic Abuse Matters programme, considers needs and vulnerabilities of different victims, including black and ethnic minority women and girls. We continue to work with the College of Policing to encourage further take-up. I undertake to bring together Sistah Space with the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs Council to facilitate a meeting as soon as diaries can be synchronised. I will also ensure that we build trust and confidence in the police through new full-time national police lead for violence against women and girls, Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth. We are building our evidence base on domestic homicides through the domestic homicide project to understand patterns, trends, and triggers for domestic homicide. We are creating an online repository to hold all domestic homicide reviews to allow more analysis of data.

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