Domestic violence victims' addresses to be kept secret: Eve's Law
- 18 Dec
The government is to consider a proposal for domestic violence victims to keep their safe house addresses secret in court.
Eve Thomas, a domestic violence victim and campaigner wants to change the law so that addresses are kept secret in unrelated court proceedings. Ms Thomas faced prison due to her refusal to reveal her hideaway address in August.
Damian Green, the Justice Minister has said that he would "happily consider" these proposals, reports the BBC.
Ms Thomas suffered over 20 years of abuse from her husband before she left him and during a civil case in the summer, in which Bolton County Court ruled that she owed money to a former friend and asked for an address, she withheld it.
Ms Thomas said that she feared revealing her new location in case it put her at risk of attack. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live's Breakfast she said: "I felt totally victimised again... If a victim can substantiate that they are in serious fear for their lives and safety, then the judges and courts need to take this on board."
Speaking during justice questions in the House of Commons, Mr Jarvis, the shadow justice minister, told Mr Green: "Victims of domestic abuse are being placed at risk when forced to give their safe address in open court in unrelated proceedings. This not only places the individual at risk from the abuser but it also deters the thousands of victims who suffer from domestic violence from reporting this horrendous crime.
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