Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent the emotional abuse of women.

Karen Bradley

The Government has introduced a new offence of coercive or controlling behaviour in an intimate or family relationship which came into force on 29 December 2015. The offence carries a maximum of 5 years imprisonment. Guidance for professionals on the new offence was issued on 5 December 2015.

The new offence will mean victims who experience coercive and controlling behaviour that stops short of serious physical violence, but amounts to extreme psychological and emotional abuse, can see their perpetrators brought to justice. Criminalising domestic abuse demonstrates this Government’s commitment to tackling all forms of abuse and improving the protection available to victims.