Arrests and charges under the new Domestic Abuse Law (FOI)

​​Request 707544502

How many arrests and charges have been made by the new domestic violence law? For coercive control, mental abuse and all that falls under the new law. 

How many people have reported such crimes and have not had a forthcoming arrest to the person that has abused them in such a way? 

And what is going to be done to work towards arresting and bringing justice to the victims of mental abuse, coercive control, controlling behaviour, emotional abuse?

Response

Please see table below for the number of arrests, charges and those did not result in a forthcoming arrest under the Domestic Abuse Law since it came into effect in 2023. 

​As with all criminal investigations, there is a time lag between the start of an investigation and eventually prosecution. The number of prosecutions is therefore expected to increase.

The new law is designed to give victims greater protection from perpetrators including those who coercively control their partners.

There are three key elements of the law, which are:

• The new domestic abuse offence
• New powers for the court to impose Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs)
• The power to impose notification requirements on perpetrators convicted of domestic abuse or similar offences

Offenders can be jailed for up to five years and be given an unlimited fine for offences covered under the law.​