Closed petition Make patterned domestic violence a specific criminal offence with no time limits

Closed on 5 November 2021

Many cases of patterned domestic violence are treated as isolated instances of common assault. This means victims must come forward within 6 months or go without justice. Patterned DV should be made a specific criminal offence, with no time limits for bringing a prosecution.

Current legislation affords abusers unjust protections against conviction. It is well known and widely accepted that victims of domestic violence may not come forward for many reasons. Abusers who have abused in a frequent or patterned manner over a period of time are protected from being charged if their victim does not come forward within 6 months. This is detrimental to the mental health of victims, denies victims justice, and undermines the protection and advocacy that victims deserve.