Dame Nicole Jacobs

Official account for the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England & Wales. Champions victims and survivors voices to bring change.

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Devolution presents a real opportunity to do things differently.

If done well it can help create services that are more joined up, more accountable & designed with the needs of victims in mind.

Today I've published a new discussion paper exploring what that could look like. 1/2

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Yesterday I spoke to Crimewatch about how the safeguards being used as part of the early release scheme remain ineffective & are putting victims at risk.

Govt must grip this. We need more resource for Probation & victims need clear and timely information so they can keep safe👇

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Nearly 1 in 10 adults experienced domestic abuse in the past year.

These figures are a stark reminder of the scale of this national emergency.

Govt must match its ambition on VAWG with long-term funding for domestic abuse services. ⬇️
https://t.co/SBHwbTjt1e

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Devolution presents a unique opportunity to bring services together around the needs of domestic abuse victims, creating a more joined up system that works for them. But we need govt to seize it.

Thank you @insidehousing ⬇️
https://t.co/t6c9eRMrba

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

The police have identified DA as a critical threat, contributing to 65% of VAWG offences.

But despite this, it is still not being treated as a national priority.

As policing undergoes its biggest reforms in decades, DA must be central to that agenda. ⬇️
https://t.co/uHcnJxP1MC

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

For yrs the Family Court's presumption of parental involvement has overridden child safety.

This will change in the Courts & Tribunals Bill which made progress this week.

Thank you @clairethrossell for your tireless work. We won't stop until the Family Court puts victims first.

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Read here ⬇️ 2/2
https://t.co/SgPmA5a9IP

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Devolution presents a real opportunity to do things differently.

If done well it can help create services that are more joined up, more accountable & designed with the needs of victims in mind.

Today I've published a new discussion paper exploring what that could look like. 1/2

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Today is the 2nd tranche of the early release scheme. But I am still very concerned that protections for DA survivors are not fit for purpose.

These failings must prompt wider conversations about how we create a justice system with victims at its heart.
https://t.co/pkqIe5L0gQ

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Last month, I visited @womanstrust to see their work supporting survivors' mental health.

Ahead of World Mental Health Day tomorrow, I'm sharing their guest blog, which explores the impact of DA and and why specialist support is crucial to recovery. ⬇️
https://t.co/eQJA5NDGzm

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Tracy's story shows how rural isolation makes it harder for DA victims to seek help.

Rural survivors tell me they worry help won't arrive on time & that fleeing can mean losing their livelihood.

DA services must be funded to meet these unique challenges.
https://t.co/w6cCGqQ6pW

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

I'm pleased that abusers will now be more visible in the justice system.

A new DA flag will help agencies manage risk, strengthen accountability & protect victims.

It will also reveal the scale of DA in the justice system, helping drive lasting change ⬇️
https://t.co/gdxbDYm9zX

[Victims' Commissioner for England & Wales @VictimsComm]

As early prison releases get underway, many victims may be feeling anxious about what this means.

Victim Support has launched a dedicated helpline, providing support to anyone concerned about an offender being released from prison.

Find out more: 🔗 https://t.co/X7kucm69LB

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

"Victims are paying the price for many, many years of poor decision making and lack of leadership. Our criminal justice system has never been built around, or centred on, victim safety."

This morning on @SkyNews 👇

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Govt's early release scheme has caused untold damage to DA victims' confidence in the criminal justice system.

If the PM wants to have difficult conversations about the biggest challenges in our society, criminal justice reform must be high on the agenda.
https://t.co/GmKq7nF9Pt

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

"Yes there are measures. Are they good enough? Absolutely not."

This morning on @bbc5live, I explained why the measures meant to protect domestic abuse victims under the early release scheme simply aren't good enough. 👇

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Karen is one of many DA victims bearing the cost of the prison crisis.

She says fleeing abroad is the only way her family will be safe from their abuser's early release.

Ministers must properly resource probation and DA services to keep victims safe. ⬇️
https://t.co/k4UcqHDgxv

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Thrilled about govt's plans to take a public health approach to DA and give extra funding to services.

DA can affect anyone and profoundly impacts physical and mental health.

I will work with govt to ensure these plans deliver real change for victims ⬇️
https://t.co/mHOcpwXABz

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Ministers had months to prepare for early release. Yet our tagging system is still broken.

This is another sign that the early release scheme has not considered risks to DA victims.

Govt must invest in DA services, police & probation to keep them safe.
https://t.co/xT05apn0MK

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Victim confidence in the justice system is at rock bottom. These cases show why abusers should never have been included in the scheme.

The PM must show leadership by strengthening probation and providing long-term funding for specialist services. https://t.co/qWdSxpkZJP

[Dame Nicole Jacobs @CommissionerDA]

Domestic abuse is everyday business in the Family Court. Yet too many victims tell me they've been failed by a system meant to protect them

If govt wants to halve VAWG, the family court must be better equipped to spot domestic abuse & victims must have better access to legal aid

[Ridge & Frost @RidgeandFrost]

🗣️ 'So many people have said to me, you have to look into the family courts.'

Sky's @Mollie_Malone1 explains how her investigation revealed failures in family courts and how women, particularly victims of abuse, feel 'shut out' of the system.