The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 — Transformational Legislation?
Published in Today’s Family Lawyer, 6 May 2021.
The much-vaunted, much-challenged, bedevilled and long-awaited Domestic Abuse Bill was finally passed into law with the granting of Royal Assent on 29 April 2021. The sigh of relief amongst all those who have suffered so much and fought so hard for this legislation was palpable.
But does it represent the transformational change that so many have fought for? Writing in Today’s Family Lawyer, I examined this question with family law professionals — exploring whether the legislation marks a genuine turning point in how the law addresses domestic abuse, or whether it represents a missed opportunity.
The Act introduces important new measures, including the first statutory definition of domestic abuse in English law, extended protections, a new Domestic Abuse Commissioner, and improved provisions for victims in family and criminal proceedings. But for those of us working at the coal face of the family courts, the question is always whether legislative change translates into real change for the women and children who need it most.