§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Government is taking to tackle domestic violence in north Yorkshire. [102646]
§ Mr. Bob AinsworthThe Government is committed to tackling domestic violence in all parts of the country. It is a serious and abhorrent crime that accounts for one quarter of all violent crime and claims the lives of two women a week. The Government will do everything it can to tackle it and ensure that victims receive support and protection.
My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has announced that £14 million will be made available over the next three years to support work to develop mainstream responses to domestic violence. We will also be providing funding for a new post at the Local government Authority (LGA) to support this work. We have also announced a consultation paper setting out proposals to prevent domestic violence, which will be published this year. This consultation will build on the initial consultation on domestic violence in the white 579W paper, Justice for All, and the ongoing work of the inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Domestic Violence, which is focussing on five priority areas for action. These are:
Increasing safe accommodation choices for women and children;Developing early and effective healthcare interventions;Improving the interface between the criminal and civil law;Ensuring a consistent and appropriate response from the police and Crown Prosecution Service; and Promoting Education and Awareness Raising.Tackling the problem means more than just providing initial support for victims. We want to ensure that offenders are prosecuted, help the police to prevent repeat victimisation, and protect the lives of the vulnerable.