DOMESTIC ABUSERS LEAVING PRISON WILL HAVE TO WEAR ELECTRONIC MONITORING TAGS UNDER A GOVERNMENT PILOT SCHEME

Offenders who are tagged can be banned from going within a certain distance of a victim’s home, with the tags monitoring their whereabouts or making them abide by a strict curfew. Offenders who breach these rules face being returned to prison.

Up to 500 prison leavers will, for the first time, be made to wear a GPS or curfew tag as part of an initial pilot which is expected to be rolled out across England and Wales next year.

The government has also announced today that over 2,700 victims have been protected from further harassment from their imprisoned abusers thanks to a Prison Service scheme launched last summer.

The Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service ensures offenders are unable to dial a victim’s number from prison phones or send out threatening letters to their address. Its relaunch last year through a simple online form and greater publicity has spared thousands from threats and abuse.

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk, said:

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Survivors of domestic abuse show great strength and bravery in coming forward, and it is right that every tool is used to protect them from further harm.

The tagging of prison leavers at risk of committing further domestic abuse is a further protection we are introducing to help victims rebuild their lives and feel safe in their communities.

 

Louise, a survivor of domestic violence, said:

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The thought of my abuser trying to make contact – either from behind bars or once released – was one that left me feeling anxious and powerless.

These measures provide reassurance that we as survivors are being better protected from these efforts to intimidate and terrorise us.