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Your roundup of local and national
domestic abuse stories
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‘Rough sex’ defence will be banned, says justice minister
The so-called “rough sex gone wrong” defence will be outlawed in new domestic abuse legislation, a justice minister has told MPs. Alex Chalk said it was “unconscionable” that the defence can be used in court to justify or excuse the death of a woman “simply because she consented”. He said it would be made “crystal clear” in the Domestic Abuse Bill that it was not acceptable. The bill, for England and Wales, is due to become law later this year. Jess Phillips, Labour’s shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, was speaking on an amendment proposed by Labour MP Harriet Harman and Conservative MP Mark Garnier to the legislation, to prevent lawyers from using the defence, but withdrew it following assurances from Mr Chalk.
-BBC News
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Women Stage A Mass Scream Over Domestic Violence & Equal Pay
Since 1991, women across Switzerland have protested against gender-based violence and unequal treatment. This year, at the Women’s Strike, known nationally as the Frauenstreik, thousands of women staged a mass scream at 3:24pm – the time of day when women technically start working for free due to the gender pay gap.
Last year, half a million people attended, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a few thousand people protested this year. Women came together, holding signs with the protest’s slogan, “if it’s a woman’s will, everything will stand still.” They also staged a flash mob and held a minute’s silence for women killed at the hands of their abusive husbands or partners.
-Vogue
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Fears over domestic abuse when football comes home
With the Premier League returning tonight, the first football game kicking off this week, people will be watching the games from their homes due to the pandemic. There are fears this could increase tensions within households, resulting in incidences of domestic abuse. In response to this, the Cannock Chase Council’s community safety partnership has teamed up with local partners including Staffordshire Police, New Era (domestic abuse service), the Staffordshire Commissioner’s Office and local authorities across Staffordshire to deliver some messages around the issue. The new campaign ‘Football is coming home’ raises awareness of the support services available for both victims and perpetrators during these unprecedented times.
-Express & Star
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Domestic abuse help available for local residents
People living with domestic abuse can still access support services, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Domestic abuse services in the borough of Rochdale are operating and can offer support with emergency accommodation, safety planning and accessing civil orders like injunctions. The call comes as Refuge, the charity which runs the national domestic abuse helpline, reported a ten-fold increase in visits to its website in recent weeks, whilst calls to the NSPCC’s helpline about the impact of domestic abuse on children have surged by almost a third since the start of the lockdown. The month of May saw the highest number of contacts to the NSPCC helpline about domestic abuse since recording changed in 2016.
-Rochdale Online
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