Naomi Long

The Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill 2020 aims to criminalise patterns of controlling and coercive behaviour, as well as physical abuse, against a partner, former partner or family member.

Similar legislation was brought into effect in England and Wales in 2015 and in Scotland in 2019, and a bill for Northern Ireland was originally intended to come before MLAs in 2017.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said the legislation is required to close a gap in the law and ensure that protection for victims is not limited to physically violent behaviour, as at present.

She said: “This is an important step, to introduce the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill to the Assembly today, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Assembly as well as our criminal justice and voluntary and community sector partners as the bill progresses towards becoming law.

“As justice minister, I am committed to ensuring that victims of domestic abuse are afforded the proper protection. This legislation will make domestic abuse, in all its forms, a criminal offence and is not limited to physically violent behaviour.

“From speaking to victims and survivors it is clear that psychological abuse in a domestic setting can be as damaging as physical abuse, if not more so. This new domestic abuse offence will send out a clear message that domestic abuse will not be tolerated in any form.”

The legislation will also provide greater protection to victims of domestic abuse by extending the prohibition on cross-examination in person, as well as automatic eligibility for consideration for special measures in criminal proceedings and prohibiting cross-examination in person in family proceedings in certain circumstances.

Where the victim in a relationship is under 18, where a child sees, hears or is present during an incident of abusive behaviour, or where a child is used to abuse a victim, there may be an enhanced sentence under the bill.

Ms Long added: “I also want domestic abuse to be recognised where this is part of other offences. For example, if someone damages their partner’s car to cause them harm, the offence of criminal damage could have an increased sentence due to be aggravated by domestic abuse.”