The Labour Party has announced that police forces will be mandated by law to enhance protection for victims of domestic abuse under the Labour government.
Dubbed “Raneem’s Law” in honor of Raneem Oudeh, who, along with her mother Khaola Saleem, tragically lost their lives to Oudeh’s former partner in 2018, the legislation will compel police to expedite responses to domestic violence reports.
It will also necessitate prompt consideration of protective orders for women.
Welcomed by campaigners in the sector, the proposed law will further require every police force to designate a dedicated officer to oversee all civil orders aimed at safeguarding women and girls from violence.
Additionally, the legislation will deploy domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms to ensure urgent responses to victims, a policy previously announced by Labour following a successful trial in Northumbria.
Additionally, the proposal aims to tackle technology and communication deficiencies that jeopardize the safety of women.
Police forces will be obligated to provide data on their applications for civil orders to the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the Home Office.
Labour also pledged to expedite the nationwide implementation of an electronic interface linking family courts and police forces. This initiative would facilitate the widespread sharing of civil orders and injunctions.
Campaigners persistently contended that protective orders intended to safeguard women from abuse, such as Domestic Violence Protection Notices (DVPN) and Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO), are either underutilized or ineffective due to inadequate follow-up on breaches.
Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary, asserted that the proposed legislation would signify a “step change” in addressing violence against women and girls, a commitment the party aims to achieve by halving such incidents within a decade.
She said, “Missed opportunities cost lives and far too many have already been lost. We cannot stand by while more women like Raneem and Khaola are so badly failed by the system charged with keeping them safe.”
Calls For Accountability And Reform In The Aftermath Of Tragic Raneem’s Case
In August 2018, Raneem Oudeh, aged 22, and her mother Khaola Saleem, aged 49, fell victim to a brutal stabbing perpetrated by Oudeh’s estranged husband, Janbaz Tarin, in Solihull.
Prior to the tragic incident, Oudeh endured a harrowing ordeal of stalking, domestic violence, and coercive control by Tarin over more than a year.
A subsequent inquest in 2022 determined that West Midlands Police bore significant responsibility for the deaths.
It was revealed that Oudeh had reached out to emergency services on at least seven occasions leading up to the fatal incident.
On the fateful night of the attack, Oudeh and her mother made four desperate calls to 999. Shockingly, despite Oudeh having a non-molestation order against her former partner, no officers were dispatched to their aid.
Welcoming Labour’s announcement, Saleem’s sister Nour Norris expressed the profound impact of domestic violence on her family. “Our plea is for a future where no other family suffers as we have. Raneem’s law will help to make sure that is the case,” she stated.
Harriet Wistrich, the director of the Centre for Women’s Justice, who provided support to Oudeh’s family during the inquest, described the proposed law as “hugely welcome.”
However, she emphasized the necessity for comprehensive mandatory training for officers in handling domestic violence and underscored the importance of holding them accountable for any failures to protect women.
“It’s really positive that there is an attempt to ensure some meaningful change comes from this tragic case,” she said. “But you can have all the guidance and rules in place – it has to be enforced to make a meaningful change,” she added.
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