Domestic Abuse: Emergency Accommodation

Baroness Smith of Llanfaes Excerpts

Wednesday 26th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Levitt (Lab)]

The noble Baroness makes a really important point. On Monday I addressed a reception held in one of the rooms in this Palace hosted by the charity Surviving Economic Abuse. Listening to what was said there reminded me—I hope I did not need reminding, but it made it starkly clear—that for the survivors, economic abuse is every bit as pernicious and damaging as actual violence, or controlling or coercive behaviour. We are acutely aware of this and are doing everything we can to ensure that it is recognised and dealt with.

[Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (PC)]

My Lords, abusers are increasingly turning everyday objects, such as phone chargers, extension leads and even pens, into hidden cameras and listening devices, making women feel deeply unsafe in their own home. Can the Minister share with us what measures are being taken to protect women against this worrying new trend, particularly in emergency accommodation settings?

[Baroness Levitt (Lab)]

What the noble Baroness describes is part of a trend of observation and control, which is part of the controlling and coercive behaviour that is now recognised as an integral part of domestic abuse and every bit as violating as actual physical violence. I do not know what is being doing about the actual methods of that kind of coercion that she described, but it sounds to me as though it is already covered by the criminal law.