Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to support survivors of domestic abuse who commit offences as a result of trauma from their past abuse.

The Government recognises the ongoing impact that trauma caused by past domestic abuse can have, and the importance of supporting victims who commit offences as a result of their experiences. The Government remains committed to delivering its Female Offender Strategy, published in June 2018, and which makes clear that a different approach is likely to be more effective in addressing the needs of female offenders and women at risk of entering the criminal justice system. £7 million has been invested since publication of the Strategy, which is sustaining and enhancing current women’s services, filling gaps in provision, and providing properties for new women’s centres.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Government has also committed unprecedented funding to support all victims, including £40m announced by the Ministry of Justice on 1 February for victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence and a further £11m announced on 15 March to recruit additional Independent Sexual Violence and Independent Domestic Abuse Advisors over the next two years.

This year, we will publish two new strategies that will build on our landmark Domestic Abuse Bill, on violence against women and girls and on domestic abuse, which will take further our drive for a step-change in the response to these crimes.