The United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women took place on 25 November 2024.
This global event kicks off 16 days of activism designed to highlight violence against women and girls across the world, which culminates in International Human Rights Day on 10 December.
The UN’s 2024 campaign is called ‘Every 10 Minutes’, drawing on the fact that last year partners and family members around the world killed a woman intentionally every ten minutes.
The movement aims to draw attention to the alarming escalation of violence against women around the world, and revitalise commitments, calling for accountability and action from decision-makers.
Find out more about the UN’s campaign here.
Solicitors for Domestic Abuse
To mark the event, this blog focuses on domestic abuse.
Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life, according to the United Nations.
In England and Wales, domestic abuse-related crimes represented 15.8% of all offences recorded by the police in the 12 months to March 2024.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that women were disproportionately represented among victims of domestic abuse-related crimes, as in previous years, with 72.5% of all victims being female.
Here, our experienced Family Law solicitors answer some frequently asked questions about domestic abuse.
What is the definition of domestic abuse?
Domestic abuse includes all kinds of physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and financial abuse between people who are or have been in a relationship with each other.
Some types of domestic abuse are directly physical and may include:
- Punching, kicking and hitting.
- Sexual assault.
- Damaging property.
Some types of abuse are not physical. Examples of non-physical abuse include:
- Threats.
- Criticism.
- Isolation and oppressive behaviour.
- Harassment.
- Checking social media, email or other electronic communication.
- Controlling money.
- Gaslighting.
What are the signs of domestic abuse?
It can be difficult to recognise the signs of abuse and it is often tempting to dismiss an incident as a one-off. There are different forms of abuse, but it is always about having power and control over you.
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, it could be a sign of domestic abuse.
Does your partner or someone you live with ever:
- Slap, hit or punch you?
- Belittle you, or put you down?
- Isolate you from your family and friends?
- Read your emails, texts, or letters?
- Threaten to hurt you?
- Destroy things that belong to you?
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, you do not need to wait for an emergency situation to seek help.
Free, confidential support and advice is available to victims and their concerned family members or friends, 24 hours a day. A list of specialist services is available on the government’s website by clicking here.
What can the law do for domestic abuse?
Some forms of domestic abuse are criminal offences that should be reported to the police.
In addition, there are various legal measures available that can be put in place to protect you. These include:
Non-molestation order. This is a court order which stops the abuser using or threatening violence or entering a certain property or area. Non-molestations orders usually last between six and 12 months at a time. Breaching a non-molestation order is a criminal offence punishable with up to five years imprisonment.
Occupation order. This court order can be used to prevent the accused from living in the family home or entering an identified distance around it.
More information is available in our Client Guide to Domestic Abuse.
At the end of November, the government announced that it was introducing new measures to protect the victims of domestic abuse.
From 27 November 2024, police and the courts will be able to issue new Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) to keep them away from their victims.
The orders will cover all forms of domestic abuse and, unlike some orders that only last for 28 days, will have no time restrictions.
For more information about DAPNs and DAPOs, click here.
Domestic Abuse Solicitors Alton
At Bookers & Bolton, we understand that seeking help for domestic abuse is extremely difficult. However, it can often be the first crucial step towards breaking the cycle.
Our compassionate and friendly solicitors in Alton, Hampshire, will ensure you are familiar with your legal rights and know what your options are.
We will also ensure that there is always someone to talk to and that you know what is happening at every stage.
Our Family Law team are proud to serve our local community and beyond and have a reputation for offering a high-quality personal service.
Our Head of Family Law, Paul Wilson, has practised Family Law for over 30 years. He can work remotely and often meets clients online over Zoom, helping individuals and families with their legal matters in Hampshire and across the UK.
You can call us on 01420 558335, email us at enquiries@bookersandbolton.co.uk or make an online enquiry here.
We are here to support you every step of the way.
