More time behind bars to protect victims from violence

Monday 21 December 2015

People convicted of harassment or breaching restraining orders could face longer prison sentences and bigger fines.

The Home Affairs Minister wants to change the law and toughen up sentences to protect victims of violence.

Deputy Kristina Moore wants to increase the penalties set out in the law to deal with harassment and breaches of restraining orders to two years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

As the law stands at the moment a person committing a harassment offence faces six months imprisonment and a fine of level 4 on the standard scale. It's 12 months for those breaching a restraining order and again a fine of up to £5,500.

Deputy Moore said: “Updating this legislation is an important part of our commitment to protecting victims and other vital work is already underway to consider further amendments to enhance the law to support the prevention of violence. The prevention of violence against women and girls is one my priorities during this term of office.

“These legislative changes are vital to compliance with obligations under a Council of Europe convention (known as the Istanbul Convention) on combating violence against women and domestic violence. It is also central to the Council of Ministers’ long term plans for Jersey that Islanders feel safe in their homes and in our community.

“Seeking to achieve compliance with the Istanbul Convention is a positive move for Jersey. It is the first binding international convention focussed on preventing gender-based violence, domestic violence, protecting victims and prosecuting accused offenders.  Once the necessary law amendments have been made, we hope that Jersey will be able to sign up to the convention and demonstrate our compliance with this important international standard.”

The changes would bring Jersey into line with British legislation where similar amendments were brought into force in the United Kingdom back in 2009 and tie in with the Minister's commitment to protecting the victims of violence.

The work to further the strategy included a workshop held earlier this month to discuss gender-based violence and domestic violence in Jersey that brought together public and voluntary agencies, including the member agencies of the Safeguarding Partnership Boards, to share information, assess current evidence about this type of abuse in Jersey and the current prevention and response available.

The Chair of the Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy Group Senator Paul Routier MBE said: “Preventing violence is something that concerns us all, and violence based upon a person’s gender is particularly unacceptable. Working together to pool our understanding of these issues can only help those who are sadly on the receiving end of such violence.”

Presentations at the workshop focused on issues including a national perspective on how the Istanbul Convention has helped to shape the response to gender-based violence in the UK and a local insight into the progress of sexual offences legislation and domestic violence legislation.