Boris Johnson Will Reintroduce The Domestic Abuse Bill When Parliament Returns, But MPs Will Have To Start From Scratch

Las week, it was been announced that the new Domestic Abuse Bill and plans to reform divorce law will no longer go ahead after Boris Johnson’s choice to prorogue Parliament.

Existing bills and laws are dropped when parliament is suspended unless the prime minister chooses to carry them into the next parliamentary session, which Johnson chose not to for 13 highly-important bills. The bills can be re-introduced in the next parliamentary session, however all previous work on them is lost as MPs must begin procedures from scratch.

Following much backlash about the Domestic Abuse Bill, Johnson has announced that it will be carried forward into the next session - something set to be announced during the Queen's Speech.

Prior to the bill being dropped, MPs and NGOs had urged Johnson to show a commitment to domestic abuse by carrying forward the new bill from the outset – something Theresa May championed while she was in office. However, a court document from the legal challenge to prorogue parliament – which was rejected by senior English judges last week – seemed to reveal Johnson’s attitude towards the Domestic Abuse Bill when it stated that the proposed bills being dropped were ‘small [and] low priority’.

‘We are speechless,’ Women’s Aid tweeted in response, ‘women and children are dying every week - there is a tragic case in the news today of a baby killed by his dad. Please stand with us at Women's Aid & make sure the government knows that the Domestic Abuse Bill is vital & anything but "small low priority"’

The bill would have prevented survivors of domestic abuse from being cross-examined by their abusers in family courts – where divorce and child custody decisions are made – which one quarter had experienced according to a Women’s Aid survey in 2018. The bill also aimed to create a new Domestic Abuse Commissioner to tackle the postcode lottery victims continue to face. Redefining the definition of domestic abuse, it was supposed to ensure more women come forward and report abuse.

And yet, at a time when two women are killed every week because of domestic abuse, this bill was dubbed ‘low priority’.

While Johnson has confirmed that the Domestic Abuse Bills is set be re-introduced on 14 October when parliament returns, MPs and peers will have to begin procedures all over again – losing any hard work previously put into the projects. The PM took to Twitter to confirm he will reintroduce the bill in the next session, saying:

'Domestic abuse shatters lives & tears families apart. We are fully committed to tackling this horrific crime - which is why the Queen's Speech will confirm we will be reintroducing domestic abuse legislation in the next session.'

MP Priti Patel too shared the statement.

But as of yet, there has been no confirmation on whether they will reintroduce the proposed reforms to divorce law. According to the Prime Ministers press office, the government will set out forthcoming legislation in the Queen's Speech.

The divorce law reform heavily impacts women - keeping them in unhappy or unhealthy marriages. This was the case for Tini Owens, 68, whose story the change in law was inspired by – after her divorce was refused by judges despite being in a ‘loveless and desperately unhappy’ marriage. She took her case to the Supreme Court last year but was rejected, forced to stay married until 2020 when she can appeal the decision.

Current divorce law in the UK states that unless someone can prove their marriage has broken down due to adultery, unreasonable behaviour or desertion, the only way to obtain a divorce without a spouse's consent is to live apart for five years.

The necessity of blame forces couples into pointless and expensive legal battles, as well as causing untold harm on the parties – and their families – involved.

With years of work going into both of these bills, charities and peers are now urging both the bills to be re-introduced to parliament next month.

But with Brexit chaos looming, who knows when issues that can save women’s lives will be considered a real priority again.

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