The Home Affairs Select Committee into Domestic Violence and Forced Marriage eConsultation open from 21 January to 29 February 2008

23 January 2008 in Consultations, Domestic Violence, England, Government, Wales

The Home Affairs Committee’s eConsultation is running this online forum as part of our wider inquiry into domestic violence, to listen to the views of people who have first-hand experience of domestic violence.

For the purposes of our inquiry we are using the Government definition of domestic violence which encompasses forced marriage and “honour-based” violence.

“Any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality”

So if you, someone in your family or a close friend has experienced any form of domestic violence, been forced into marriage or subjected to honour-based violence and you want to comment on any of the issues raised, please help us by having your say. We especially want to hear about your experience of mainstream services (e.g. the police, courts, health and social services) and of support services (e.g. from refuges, voluntary agencies). And we’re interested in where things are done well, as well as what could be improved.

This forum will run until 29 February 2008. The posts we receive, along with the written and oral evidence gathered during the inquiry, will shape the recommendations we make to the Government in our report.

The online forum has the following topics you can contribute to:

* Do victims of domestic violence receive the support they need from public and voluntary sector organisations?
* Are victims of “honour-based” violence helped enough by public and voluntary sector agencies?
* Are there adequate support services for people who are forced into marriage against their will?
* What single action would most improve the lives of victims and survivors of all forms of domestic violence?

at http://forums.parliament.uk/dvec/index.php?index,1

There is advice on how to use the online forum and protect your anonymity

To read the terms of the Inquiry as they were announced last year go to http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/home_affairs_committee/hacpn070726no38.cfm