LGBT charity welcomes CPS guidance on Domestic Violence

Broken Rainbow UK, the LGBT domestic violence charity, has welcomed inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* (LGBT) peoples’ issues in draft guidance published on Tuesday by The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)

As well as including a specific section on ‘same sex or transgender relationship abuse’ the draft guidance also looks at the issues of young people, social media and older people, to help prosecutors adopt a tailored approach taking into account their particular support needs.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Alison Saunders, said: “Some teenagers may not consider themselves victims of domestic violence, especially if they are not being physically abused but are being targeted on social media….Young people can also be reluctant to report abuse for fear of getting into trouble with their parents, being bullied at school or because they are scared of their abuser.”

Broken Rainbow’s work shows how it is particularly important that those supporting survivors through the legal process have an understanding of the varied and sometimes specific types of abuse that LGBT people face and are able to advocate in a supportive and sympathetic way.

Wendy Wilde, Service Delivery Manager, Broken Rainbow UK, said: “Callers to our helpline engaged in a legal process still too often feel it is not helping them and in some cases is making things worse. This secondary victimisation by the very institutions victims look to for protection is extremely hard for survivors to come to terms with. Frequently it is only specialist organisations such as ourselves that can offer the understanding they need.”