Since 1997 the Government have been working to ensure that all sections of domestic violence law support and protect all victims of domestic abuse. In 2004 the Government passed the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act which was the biggest overhaul of domestic violence law for 30 years.
Aside from legislation, on a national level in criminal courts this has included practical system changes promoting a co-ordinated community response to domestic violence through a set of initiatives in and around the criminal justice agencies which include:
establishing 104 Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVC) with a commitment to increase this to 128 courts by 2011. These innovative courts represent both a partnership and a problem solving approach to domestic violence where the police, prosecutors, magistrates, court staff, the probation service and specialist support services work together to identify, track and risk' assess cases, support victims of domestic violence and share information better so that more offenders are brought to justice;
setting up Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences by the agencies which focus on issues of safety, children, housing and health; and
funding independent domestic violence advisers, via the Third Sector, who support victims through the court process.
In both criminal and family courts which are not part of the SDVC network, special measures are available such as screening vulnerable witnesses or victims from the view of the accused, giving evidence by video link, separate exits and entrances to the court, separate waiting rooms, separate toilets and advance viewing of the court.
There are other ways that victims are supported, for example, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 provides central funding to appoint a lawyer to protect victims and witnesses of specific offences against cross-examination by a defendant in person.
I would be happy to write to you in more detail on the steps the Government have taken.