Domestic Violence Victims To Receive Extra Support

Victims of Domestic Violence will receive extra help and support from 18 new Specialist Domestic Violence Courts, Justice Minister Bridget Prentice has announced.

The new courts will be located in Eastern England, East Midlands, London, North East, North West, South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humberside. The Government has a target to have a total of 128 courts by 2011.

These courts are a fundamental part of the Government's efforts to improve the support and care provided for victims of Domestic Violence. The Specialist Domestic Violence Court programme promotes a combined approach to tackling domestic violence by the police, the Crown prosecutors, magistrates, courts and probation together with specialist support services for victims, which situates the court and the Criminal Justice System as part of a community-wide response to Domestic Violence.

Justice Minister, Bridget Prentice said: "I am delighted to announce a further 18 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts. These courts have been a real success and are central to the package of support we offer domestic violence victims.

"It is clear by the level of interest and the standard of assessments this year that there is still an appetite locally for the development of specialist courts. This latest batch of accredited courts puts us well on the way to meeting the target of 128 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts by 2011.

"The progress made shows that the Government is absolutely committed to putting victims at the heart of the Criminal Justice System."

The Attorney General, Baroness Scotland QC also said: "Improving the safety of women experiencing Domestic Violence and the support that they are given is a key priority for the Government. The selection of 18 further Specialist Domestic Violence Courts will ensure that more victims of domestic violence will benefit from enhanced expertise and insight into these crimes.

"The Crown Prosecution Service continues to improve its performance on domestic violence cases. Specialist Domestic Violence Courts are playing a key role in increasing the number of successful outcomes."

(JM/BMcC)