Petition Change the law surrounding domestic abuse

The law surrounding domestic abuse needs to be amended in order to protect victims who are too frightened of their partner to make a statement to police.

At present, for legal proceedings to be taken against the perpetrator of domestic violence, the victim must report the crime. Domestic violence often goes unreported for great lengths of time time because victims can be oppressed, controlled and terrified.

I call for a change in the legal statutes surrounding domestic abuse. If work colleagues, relatives or friends are concerned that somebody they know is a victim of domestic abuse, a police investigation should be able to commence without the victims say so.

I believe this amendment would spark a crackdown in domestic violence, by enabling friends and relatives to protect domestic violence victims that are too terrified to protect themselves.