Law passes to provide 'robust protection' for domestic abuse victims in Guernsey

Guernsey's States Assembly have unanimously approved a new, specific offence for domestic abuse.

The legislation is being brought in to "provide robust protection and justice for victims", and was based on Scottish laws introduced in 2019 which "better reflect victims' accounts and experiences".

Deputy Rob Prow, President of the Home Affairs Committee, said "I am optimistic it will make a serious difference in the way these offences are handled".

Changes include:

• The creation of a new offence of domestic abuse, covering a broad range of abusive behaviour when the abuser and the abuser are "personally connected".

• A new offence of child cruelty, which includes non-physical forms of cruelty.

• A new offence of causing or allowing death or serious harm in the household.

• Threatening to disclose private sexual images is also a new offence.

• The introduction of domestic abuse protection notices, to give police tools to protect a person from further risk of abuse, and new domestic abuse protections orders.

Training will now be put in place ahead of the legislation "going live" - which will happen upon being given Royal Assent in the coming months.

Deputy Sue Aldwell, who lead on domestic abuse and sexual assault for the committee, added she was pleased to "move the Bailiwick past the days where certain types of offenders fall through gaps in our then-outdated legislation".

It comes after an email was revealed earlier this week from a Guernsey Police inspector, asking whether the force's custody sergeants have adequate training to charge domestic abuse suspects.

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