Domestic Abuse Experts to be Integrated into Emergency Call Centers

A new government initiative involves embedding domestic abuse experts in select 999 control rooms to prevent emergency services from missing opportunities to save lives.

The pilot program will begin in targeted police forces early in 2025, with specialists assisting in risk assessments and working with officers to ensure swift responses for victims, as announced by the Home Office on Thursday.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that these initiatives mark the initial phase of the government’s commitment to reducing violence against women and girls by half within the next decade.

Cooper emphasized, “Victims of severe domestic abuse must have confidence in law enforcement to support them in their time of need.”

Under the umbrella of “Raneem’s Law,” in memory of Raneem Oudeh and Khaola Saleem who were tragically murdered in 2018, the government will formalize measures and establish national guidelines requiring compliance from police forces.

The updates also introduce new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPO), which will impose stricter penalties on abusers and are set to launch as a trial in November.

DAPOs will expand the number of domestic abusers prohibited from contacting their victims and enforce harsher penalties for violations. Unlike the existing orders that last up to 28 days, these new orders have no specified maximum duration.

Domestic abusers will now be legally obligated to inform the police of any change in address or name.

The power to apply for these orders will no longer be limited to police or criminal courts; other entities, including family and civil courts, local authorities, social services, and charities, will be able to apply. Victims will also have the option to directly apply for the order.

All forms of domestic abuse, such as violence, stalking, and controlling behavior, will be covered. Breaching these new orders will constitute a criminal offense, carrying a penalty of up to five years in prison.

Raneem Oudeh

Nour Norris, a leading advocate and aunt/sister to Oudeh and Saleem, expressed her support for the government’s new measures. She mentioned that her world shattered when her family members were killed due to domestic abuse, and the system’s failure to protect them remains etched in her memory.

Under Raneem’s Law, the presence of domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms will ensure that victims’ pleas for help are taken seriously and that no warning signs are overlooked, unlike in the case of Raneem. Norris expressed deep pride in the government’s swift action to actualize Raneem’s Law, affirming that change is achievable when voices are raised.

Prior to the tragic events, West Midlands Police had received 13 reports expressing concern for Oudeh’s safety, but no arrests were made. Oudeh had made four emergency calls on the night Tarin murdered her and her mother outside their residence in Solihull.

A 2022 inquest into the murders concluded that errors by the police force significantly contributed to the tragic loss of Oudeh and Saleem.

These measures coincide with the recent announcement from London’s Metropolitan Police that four officers are under investigation for mishandling complaints from two women who were later murdered by an individual they were involved with.

In July, Carl Cooper was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of Naomi Hunte and Fiona Holm, both of whom had reported his violence to the Met. The Home Office noted that police recorded nearly 100 domestic abuse-related offenses per hour on average last year.

PA Media contributed to this report.