Shadow Home Secretary calls for Priti Patel to provide support package for domestic abuse victims
8 April 2020, 14:48 | Updated: 8 April 2020, 14:52
Shadow Home Secretary calls for Priti Patel to provide support package for domestic abuse victims
Shadow Home Secretary tells LBC why his first action is calling for Priti Patel to provide a support package which will help domestic abuse victims during lockdown.
Shadow Home Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds has called for Priti Patel to do more to protect victims of domestic abuse during the lockdown.
"I've done that today because it is a top priority of mine in the role of Shadow Home Secretary, especially at this time of crisis," he said, "the situation we ave where people are obviously being asked to stay in their own homes unfortunately makes them more vulnerable to domestic abuse.
"I'm looking for...an emergency piece of financial support and the reason that I'm asking for that is because the [abuse charity] sector is under extraordinary pressure.
"Demands are increasing...support here is delivered by charities and by civil society organisations and they are of course restricted in terms of the money they can raise and they are under severe pressure," Mr Thomas-Symonds said.
The Shadow Home Secretary said he wants to see a comprehensive financial care package so organisations can continue to assist and provide services during this time of need.
He also wants to see the Home Secretary providing support for emergency accommodation and hopes local authorities can put victims in university halls or hotels, for example. For those working directly with abuse victims, he also calls for adequate protective personal equipment.
The issue is domestic abuse victims are invisible people, he remarked: "I would urge the Home Secretary to respond to the letter...I've sent it with a series of things that could be done to ease the situation."
