Call for more funds for victims of domestic abuse is backed by family law specialist

A call for more funding to help a growing number of domestic abuse victims and their children has been welcomed by a partner and family law specialist at Warrington-based Watsons Solicitors.

Danny Hudson spoke in the wake of the launch of a Government strategy to end violence against women and girls.

The senior family law solicitor said: “It’s a sad fact that domestic violence is on the increase. New statistics for London show the number of cases recorded by the Metropolitan Police rose by two thirds between 2011-18, to 40,000 cases annually.

“There is no reason to believe this trend is not being replicated all over the country.

“Now, the charity Women’s Aid, which turns away 400 women and children from its refuges around the UK each week, has called for more Government funding to help the victims.

“In addition to the unacceptable use and threat of violence in the home, domestic abuse costs the UK economy £66 billion annually in welfare support and specialist services.

“Even on an economic as well as a humanitarian level, it makes sense to allocate more funds to help victims at the outset, their moment of greatest need, to minimise the emotional and physical impact on the victim, as well as the additional trauma and costs of a potentially more unpleasant and drawn out crisis.”

A domestic violence and injunctions specialist, who is a member of the Law Society’s Family Law Panel, Danny welcomed recent changes in legislation.

He explained: “The law on abuse within families changed with the Serious Crime Act 2015. It now criminalises emotional abuse which has a damaging effect on its victim.

“While this is a landmark change in the law that can benefit people and recognises the reality of abuse, there still needs to be an acknowledgement by the Government that more money needs to go to domestic violence support services.”

A trusted family law firm, Watsons Solicitors specialises in areas including domestic violence and injunctions; divorce finance, civil partnership disputes, co-habitation and property disputes, child residence and child arrangement disputes, and care proceedings.

The Warrington-based solicitors offers fixed-fee packages, so the client knows at the start how much the bill will be.

Watsons Solicitors also offers a free 30-minute consultation to talk through options, whether they concern domestic violence, child access and care, or other family matters.