Domestic abusers’ EVERY move tracked by new tagging scheme with a record 16,400 monitored when they get out of prison
A TAGGING scheme which means domestic abusers are tracked by their every move when they get out of prison has seen a record 16,400 offenders monitored.
A new Government report, shared exclusively with The Sun, shows that victims feel safer and more protected thanks to the pilot which automatically tells probation if abusers breach their restraining orders.
The tags serve as a constant reminder to perpetrators that their every move is being tracked.
A survivor of domestic abuse told The Sun that the scheme meant she finally felt safe in her own home.
Her abuser, who was locked up for threatening her with a gun, was arrested again earlier this year after his tag flagged that he had turned up near her house – without her even knowing.
Explicit proof of the offender’s whereabouts meant the onus was not on victims to prove breaches and helped avoid situations where it was their word against their harasser.
The woman, whose identity we are not revealing to keep her safe, told The Sun that her ex-partner was released in May but back in prison three months later after breaching the order, which was flagged on his GPS tag.
Speaking about the moment she found out he was back in prison due to the scheme, she said: “I felt so happy, even when the police officer came around to tell me, because he wanted to tell me in person that he’d been recalled, he said that he could just see like the relief on my face when he said.
“I hadn’t even had my bedroom window open. Like when I found out he was back out, I didn’t have the bedroom window open when I went to sleep, because you just never know.”
Probation officers said the tags helped them spot patterns of risk escalation, such as where a victim’s home or work address had been compromised, and therefore recall unsafe offenders back to prison.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood said: “We must do all we can to ensure victims of domestic abuse feel safe when their abusers are released from jail.
“With tagging technology, we can track and trace abusers around the clock. This pilot shows that tags have a vital role in giving victims the peace of mind they deserve.”
Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Nicole Jacobs said: “Effective management of perpetrators is absolutely key to addressing domestic abuse. And for those who receive a custodial sentence, monitoring must not end following release into the community.
“The DAPOL tagging scheme has the potential to play a vital role in keeping domestic abuse victims safe, through effective management of perpetrators following prison release.
“The scheme must be implemented robustly and consistently, carried by a well-resourced and domestic abuse-informed Probation system. I hope that the DAPOL scheme can support the government in their pledge to halve violence against women and girls over a decade.”
HOW YOU CAN GET HELP:
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.