Development In Domestic Violence

The development in domestic violence policies, to some extent, reflects the change in societal attitudes towards this complex and seemingly incurable topic. The main change in the 70s and 80’s was the shift from domestic violence constituting a private matter to it becoming one for public concern. Gradually policy changes commenced in adopting a more interventionist and proactive approach to combatting domestic violence. The 90’s saw the advent of taking positive action in domestic violence as a result of the hugely influential 60/90 Home Office circular, a report with recommended important changes in the way domestic violence should be tackled.

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998, saw the implementation of Crime and Disorder Partnerships and

A big development in public policy began in 1975 with the Parliamentary Select Committee hearings on Violence in Marriage. Chief Police Officers were required to give evidence in support (or lack of) the police’s role in tackling domestic violence. One Chief Police Officer stated “Whilst such problems take up considerable police time….in the majority of cases the role of the police is a negative one. We are, after all, dealing with persons bound in marriage and it is important, for a host of reasons, to maintain the unity of the spouses.” (Parliamentary Select Committee 1975:366). This was the first time the police had been made to answer questions as to how they saw their role in tackling domestic violence and this established foundations for future enquiries and criticism into their role. Despite the seemingly negative attitude prevailing from the police, parliament did pass some important legislation aimed at helping women abused by their partners and helping the police to provide an improved service to these victims. The Report recommended that the police keep statistics and that Chief Constables should consider reviewing their policies on domestic violence. It emphasised the importance of treating assaults in the home as seriously as they do elsewhere and that if there was evidence of injury, arrest of the offender should be considered. In 1976, as a result of the Report and

The 1976 Act replaced the Matrimonial Homes Act 1967 which gave the spouse a statutory right of occupation in the matrimonial home thereby disempowering the courts of excluding a house owning spouse from the matrimonial home completely. The only way in which courts had the power to grant injunctions was if proceedings for divorce, nullity or judicial separation were pending. Police could be involved in the enforcement of injunctions where powers or arrest had been attached and this power was normally only attached where actual bodily harm had taken place. Three types of injunctions were permitted under this act: “ouster” injunctions to exclude a spouse from the matrimonial home; injunctions against molestation, and those to permit a spouse back into the