The Government has finally published its draft Domestic Abuse Bill, two years after pledging to change the law. Whilst I welcome the steps the Bill will take to reform family courts and create a commissioner for tackling violence against women and girls, I have serious concerns about a number of key issues that have been excluded. The Bill fails to address how women in poverty are less likely to leave abusive relationships because of concerns about money and it doesn’t recognise how migrant women who have suffered domestic abuse are not able to access financial support and are much less likely to seek help because they fear deportation.

In addition, the Bill only covers England and Wales, preventing it from being used to address human rights issues for women in Northern Ireland who are currently denied access to abortion. On 30th January, I challenged the Home Office Minister about the failures in this Bill.

You can read more about domestic abuse and the draft Bill here.