Crime and Security Bill

Amendment 1 relates to the welfare of children in domestic violence situations. I am sure that the whole House shares most people's revulsion at domestic violence generally. It is perhaps one of the most appalling breaches of trust to be involved in a relationship with somebody that leads on to violence in a situation where one party—the victim—is often almost exclusively under the control of the perpetrator of such acts. That control is exercised in a whole host of ways, be it through the violence, financial control or emotional control. My amendment deals with how children fit into domestic violence situations. Sadly, far too often, children are involved through being upstairs listening to the shouts, the screams and the smashing of furniture. Perhaps their treasured toys are being destroyed in these acts of violence. Sometimes, even more frighteningly, the children themselves are caught up in the violence and are downstairs in the room while it is going on. They may try to intervene to save their loved parent from being caught up in the violence. Sometimes the children are used as pawns when a threat is made against a child, either explicitly with the child present or as a way of controlling the victim in the domestic violence situation. Children will witness violence in the home when there are cuts and bruises, and perhaps broken furniture, when they go downstairs the next morning. Time and again, children are caught up in the terrible circumstances of domestic violence and become yet another innocent victim of this appalling crime. Many children then grow up to lead healthy, good lives and are unaffected by the appalling things that have happened to them, but sadly, for far too many children, the scars stay with them for life. It may affect their own future relationships; it may affect their mental health in a host of ways or many other aspects of their lives. It may cause problems very early on in terms of their disrupting the classroom, through to adulthood and problems in later life. I have great concern about how children are affected by domestic violence. Often, police officers are calling at the same addresses week in, week out, having being called by neighbours, by the victims, or by older children who phone for them to intervene in the situation. They see the damage that is caused to people's lives and to property, and, in the context of my concerns, the damage caused to children and their development. I very much welcome the clauses that introduce protection notices, but I am seeking greater knowledge and recognition of the problems that children suffer in such situations. For that reason, my amendment is designed to ensure that their needs are taken into account by the officer attending the premises where the domestic violence is taking place, and subsequently by the courts. I would like a police officer to be able to turn up at a home with which they are probably very familiar, having been called there many times in the past, and issue the notice, not only because of the situation as regards the victim but because of its impact on the children. The amendment would allow them to intervene to protect not only the immediate victim but the children, and then subsequently, when the notice goes through to the court stage, the courts could take far more notice of the impact on those children than would otherwise be the case. This issue has been well rehearsed; it was certainly discussed in Committee. Although that debate happened right at the end of one day's proceedings, it was an important discussion in which concerns were expressed by Members on both sides. I hope later either to put this matter to the House, hopefully for its agreement, or that the Minister will accept the amendments. I look forward to what I hope will be a short but important debate following my introduction of them, and to a situation in years ahead in which children will be protected to a far greater extent through these notices and orders as a direct result of the action that I hope is taken in the House this evening.