Domestic Abuse Bill given Royal Assent

A new domestic abuse bill has been given royal assent and will came into effect yesterday (29th April).

The bill has been in the works for a number of years and was finally passed after the House of lords gave up on the pursuit of a register for abuser’s being inserted into the bill. There will be a new definition of ‘domestic abuse’ that will include emotional abuse, financial abuse and, coercive behavior.

The bill will however implement a number of reforms. These reforms include the protection of victims of of domestic abuse by protecting them from direct cross-examination from their abusers. Other changes include the introduction of the offence of non-fatal strangulation and the removal of the ‘rough sex gone wrong’ defence in cases of death or serious injury.

Another notable reform in the protection of women is the extension of the ‘revenge porn’ offence to include threatening to disclose explicit images.