A shorter sentence is not only a lack of justice, but also a huge risk to victims’ safety and freedom: Respect’s response to the Early Release Scheme 

On the day that the government commences its Early Release Scheme, which will include perpetrators of domestic abuse, Respect aligns with Women’s Aid’s concerns about what this decision means for victims. For domestic abuse victims, a shorter sentence is not only a lack of justice, but also a huge risk to their safety and freedom. 

Without the confidence that robust risk assessment and management of perpetrators is in place, victims are living in fear and being retraumatised. And with recent reports of the inefficiencies of electronic tagging and a Probation Service that is already over-stretched, the safeguards needed for this scheme to work are nowhere near sufficient. 

The ongoing lack of specialist behaviour change programmes in both prison settings and on release, means perpetrators are not being given the chance to look at the impact of their abuse, and given the chance to change.  

We urge the government to rethink these plans and remove domestic abuse perpetrators from the Early Release Scheme, to ensure that victims, and their children are protected from further harm.