This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate on domestic violence and abuse which is due to take place in the House of Lords on 6 June 2019.
Support Available to Victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse (233KB PDF)
Domestic abuse is defined across government as “any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality”. It can encompass physical, emotional, psychological, sexual or financial abuse. It is estimated to have cost over £66 billion in England and Wales in 2016/17. Figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales reveal that women are more likely to be subject to domestic abuse than men. In the year ending March 2018, an estimated 1.3 million women aged between 16 and 59 experienced domestic abuse, in comparison to 695,000 men.
This House of Lords Library Briefing provides an overview of domestic abuse in the United Kingdom and examines recent government policy on the subject. A selection of key documents and parliamentary materials are identified at the end of the briefing.
Support Available to Victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse (233KB PDF)
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill is a government bill introduced in the House of Commons in the 2024–26 session. It was carried over to the current session and completed its Commons stages on 14 July 2026. It is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Lords on 1 September 2026.
The Conduct of Undercover Policing and Surveillance Operatives Bill is a private member’s bill introduced in the House of Lords. It would make it an offence for a person deployed as a covert human intelligence source (CHIS) to engage in an intimate sexual relationship with any person they have been deployed to target, who is a member of the group they have been deployed to target, or whom they encounter during their deployment.
The UK is required to contribute towards the prevention of atrocity crimes globally. Successive UK governments have used various mechanisms aimed at preventing mass atrocities. Nevertheless, concerns have been raised in recent years regarding the continued occurrence of large-scale violence worldwide. This has prompted some parliamentarians and external stakeholders to call on the government to do more to prevent such atrocities.
