Published date:
Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime Geraldine Hanna today responded to the Year Three review of the Effectiveness of Part 1 of the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Act carried out by Criminal Justice Inspection NI (CJINI).
Welcoming the call by CJINI for a more child-centred process in investigating and prosecuting domestic abuse, Ms Hanna said:
“I welcome this report from the Criminal Justice Inspectorate, but I do so with frustration and disappointment that despite the passage of time, the policy intention to properly engage with and respond to the needs of child victims of domestic abuse is still not being met. The protections and intentions of the legislation are only meaningful if they are delivered in practice and this report shows that there is still much to do.
When this legislation was brought before the Assembly there was clear recognition in both the Assembly and by the Minister that domestic abuse does not only harm the adult victim but can also have a profound impact on children who see, hear and live with that abuse. That is why the child aggravator was included to ensure the law reflected that reality and that children’s experiences would be properly recognised in the justice response.
It is unacceptable that training has been found to be less frequent and of lesser quality than it should be. In domestic abuse cases, frontline awareness is critical. Research tells us that many victims will have experienced repeated abuse long before they ever pick up the phone to the police, which is why every frontline officer must be properly trained from day one. In these cases, the response can quite literally be the difference between life and death.
I remain continually frustrated that time again the lack of reliable data is being highlighted by the Inspectorate as an impediment to our ability to scrutinise performance, understand outcomes and identify where victims are being failed.
I recognise the pressure on professionals and the good work being done every day by committed staff. But this report makes clear that more needs to be done. The policy intention behind the legislation and victim confidence will not be fully realised unless momentum is maintained and necessary resources are committed to deliver the protection, support and accountability that was promised.”