Politicians approve new laws to protect women

In a landmark vote politicians have approved a series of laws that will offer more protection for women and girls from violence and domestic abuse.

The laws include stand-alone offences for stalking and non-fatal strangulation.

There will also be a law to better protect and punish online abuse- covering things such as revenge porn, cyber flashing and deep fakes.

Politicians voted unanimously to approve all of the laws.

The laws were informed by recommendations made by the Violence against Women and Girls taskforce in 2023.

The Home Affairs Minister, Deputy Mary Le Hegarat, said: "I think its very significant. I think the laws that we are bringing forward today are upgrading the laws we have already got and making changes to stalking, strangulation and other matters which are clearly things we need to address and deal with.

The Chair of the Home Affairs, Education and Children's Scrutiny Panel Deputy Catherine Curtis said: "Some women's lives could be saved by these laws."

Deputy Helen Miles also welcomed the laws but raised concerns about the costs and funding.

She said: "It's certainly not clear about where that money is going to come from and what I'm concerned about is the agencies that are going to be required to operationalise these laws, making sure the police have the money to investigate properly, the probation and after care service have enough money to manage offenders safely in the community."

Le Hegarat said: "For me it was important to get the laws in place because I can then say I've now brought these laws in, I now need funding for these laws, its more difficult for me to have said I need funding because I want to bring these in."

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