An article said that a lack of domestic violence research which engaged with children and young people had led to a paucity of effective service provision for such people.
Source: Helen Baker, 'Involving children and young people in research on domestic violence and housing': Subtitle, Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law, Volume 27 Number 3-4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Dec
An article examined whether the views of domestic violence survivors were both heard and heeded by professionals.
Source: Gill Hague, 'Domestic violence survivors' forums in the UK: experiments in involving abused women in domestic violence services and policy-making', Journal of Gender Studies, Volume 14 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Nov
A report criticized a lack of government action to prevent violence against women.
Source: Making the Grade: An independent analysis of government violence against women initiatives, Fawcett Society (020 7253 2598)
Links: Report | Fawcett Society press release
Date: 2005-Nov
The independent Sentencing Guidelines Council published a final guideline applying to offenders found guilty of manslaughter, rather than murder, on the basis that they had been provoked. Actual or expected violence from the victim would generally be regarded as involving a higher degree of provocation than abuse, infidelity, or offensive words - so that women who killed their violent husbands or lovers would be treated more leniently.
Source: Manslaughter by Reason of Provocation: Guideline, Sentencing Advisory Panel (020 7035 5158)
Links: Guideline | SAP press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Nov
An inspectorate report examined how domestic violence issues were addressed by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service and administered within family courts.
Source: Domestic Violence, Safety and Family Proceedings, HM Inspectorate of Court Administration (0117 959 8201)
Links: Report (pdf) | DCA press release | HMICA press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
A report provided a commentary on the new domestic violence performance indicator for local authorities (which came into force on 1 April 2005), and described how authorities had been developing their responses.
Source: Implementing the New Domestic Violence Best Value Performance Indicator, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Sep
A report presented the findings of research into a programme of engagement in, and support for, local domestic violence partnerships.
Source: Frances Abraham, Learning from Domestic Violence Partnerships, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Sep
An article investigated whether the decline in the sudden infant death rates and the rise in unascertained death rates during the period 1995 2003 were linked. It concluded that changes in certification practices surrounding sudden infant deaths and unascertained infant deaths suggested that it was becoming more difficult to distinguish between these two causes of death.
Source: Tania Corbin, 'Investigation into sudden infant deaths and unascertained infant deaths in England and Wales, 1995 2003', Health Statistics Quarterly 27, Autumn 2005, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Aug
Between 2003 and 2004 the unexplained infant death rate decreased by 15 per cent (from 0.48 to 0.41 deaths per 1,000 live births).
Source: 'Unexplained deaths in infancy, 2004', Health Statistics Quarterly 27, Autumn 2005, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf) | FSID press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Aug
An inspectorate report examined the role of the Crown Prosecution Service in the safeguarding of children. It recommended a more cohesive approach, including the setting up of a network of child abuse case co-ordinators or experts.
Source: A Review of the Role and Contribution of the Crown Prosecution Service to the Safeguarding of Children, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (020 7210 1197)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | HMCPSI press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
The Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge to the established theory on how 'shaken baby syndrome' injuries occurred. They rejected an alternative cause for such injuries which did not involve significant shaking at all, and which could have made a number of convictions unsafe.
Source: R v Lorraine Harris, Raymond Charles Rock, Alan Barry Joseph Cherry, Michael Ian Faulder, Court of Appeal 21 July 2005
Links: Text of judgement | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jul
A report said that pilot schemes were providing better support to domestic violence victims; and that extra training for police, prosecutors and magistrates had increased convictions and reduced the number of cases which collapsed because witnesses did not turn up.
Source: Christine Vallely, Amanda Robinson, Mandy Burton and Jasmin Tregidga, Evaluation of Domestic Violence Pilots Sites at Caerphilly (Gwent) and Croydon 2005/2005: Independent report, Crown Prosecution Service (020 7796 8000)
Links: Report (pdf) | CPS press release
Date: 2005-Jun
A draft sentencing guideline was published on cases where offenders were found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder, on the basis they were severely provoked. The guideline recommended that, in most cases, even the victims of domestic violence should expect to go to prison if they killed someone: but it acknowledged that such offences should be treated quite differently to murder, which carried a mandatory life sentence.
Source: Manslaughter by Reason of Provocation: Draft guideline, Sentencing Advisory Panel (020 7035 5158)
Links: Guideline (pdf) | SAP press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-May
The Law Lords ruled that parents wrongly accused of abusing their children could not sue doctors and social workers who made the diagnosis.
Source: JD (FC) (Appellant) v. East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust and others (Respondents) and two other actions (FC), UKHL 23 (Session 2004-05), House of Lords Judicial Office (020 7219 3111)
Links: Text of judgement | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A survey of teenagers found that 33 per cent had experienced some form of domestic violence or abuse at home.
Source: Press release 21 March 2005, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (0207 825 2500)
Links: NSPCC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
The government published a national action plan on domestic violence. It set out the progress made so far, and outlined future proposals to further improve support to victims and bring more perpetrators to justice.
Source: Domestic Violence: A National Report, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Action plan (pdf) | Home Office press release
Date: 2005-Mar
A report examined women s experience of violence - including domestic violence, forced marriage, rape and sexual assault, sexual harassment, so-called honour crimes and trafficking in women. It called on the government to adopt an integrated, strategic approach to ending all forms of violence against women.
Source: Liz Kelly and Jo Lovett, What a Waste: The case for an integrated violence against women strategy, Women s National Commission (020 7215 6933)
Links: Report (pdf) | Amnesty press release
Date: 2005-Feb
A report said that more women and children had stayed in domestic violence refuges in 2003-04; numbers had risen by nearly 8 per cent from the previous year.
Source: Alida Toren, 2004 Survey of Domestic Violence Services (England), Women's Aid Federation of England (0117 944 4411)
Links: Report (pdf) | Community Care report
Date: 2005-Feb
The government published a revised policy, guidance and training programme for prosecuting cases of domestic violence. The new guidance reflected an increased emphasis on the safety of victims and children, and contained new sections on enhancing a victim s ability to give evidence - including the use of special measures and the introduction of reporting restrictions. Emphasis was placed on more effective evidence-gathering, safer bail conditions, and practical guidance on how to proceed if a victim withdrew support for the case.
Source: Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Domestic Violence, Crown Prosecution Service (020 7796 8000)
Links: Policy Statement (pdf) | CPS press release
Date: 2005-Feb
Researchers evaluated pilot projects that aimed to develop and implement local strategies to reduce domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. Of the 34 projects, 27 focused on domestic violence and 7 on rape and sexual assault. The key aim of the evaluations was to identify what worked to support victims and tackle domestic violence, via an assessment of project design, implementation, delivery, outputs, impact and cost.
Source: Marianne Hester and Nicole Westmarland, Tackling Domestic Violence: Effective interventions and approaches, Research Study 290, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb