Richard Quigley MP today led a Westminster Hall debate on ‘Protecting Children from Domestic Abuse’, timed to coincide with the UN’s 16 Days of Action Against Gender-Based Violence. In his opening remarks, Richard stressed that children are not just witnesses to domestic abuse—they are victims in their own right.
Richard tabled the debate in honour of the 19 children killed by perpetrators of domestic abuse between 2015 and 2024, highlighting the scale of the issue. He pointed out that in the year ending March 2024, an estimated 1.8 million children in England were affected by domestic abuse. While 70% of affected children say they would seek support, 61% admit they wouldn’t know where to find it.
The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 was a landmark in recognising children as victims. However, Richard warned that while the Act “diagnosed the problem,” it has yet to provide an adequate cure, with funding failing to keep pace with rising demand for support services.
During the debate, Richard shared the story of an Isle of Wight woman who experienced abuse both as a child and later in her own relationship. She told him:
“Like so many children, I became part of a cycle I never chose. After watching my mother suffer abuse, I unknowingly followed the same pattern. My daughter was born into a home where she, too, witnessed fear, control, and harm—things no child should ever see.”
Richard called on the Government to take urgent action, including:
- Amending the Children Act to reflect the lived experiences of children affected by domestic abuse and to make clear that coercive control constitutes harm to children.
- Publishing a clear timeline for implementing family court reforms recommended in the Ministry of Justice’s Harm Panel Review (2020).
- Rolling out mandatory, multi-agency training on domestic abuse across the family justice system.
- Investing in prevention programmes on violence against women and girls (VAWG) in schools and educational settings.
Richard concluded the debate stating:
Protecting children from domestic abuse is not just about safeguarding their present—it’s about securing their future. Every child deserves a home that feels safe, not one they fear returning to.
