New violence laws could cost government up to £7m

New laws tackling domestic abuse and sexual violence could cost Jersey up to £7m and result in up to 369 additional offences being recorded each year, ministers have said.

The government said the funding would help police, courts and support services cope with increased demand created by the legislation.

The laws, approved by the States in March, introduced new offences covering stalking, non-fatal strangulation and intimate image abuse.

Justice and Home Affairs Minister Helen Miles said the funding model aimed to ensure "the demands generated from the new legislation are matched with adequate resourcing at the point of need".

The figures were revealed in a written response from Miles to questions raised by deputy Montfort Tadier.

The legislation was approved unanimously by the States in March after recommendations from the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce identified gaps in existing laws and called for stronger protections for victims.

Miles said analysis by police, criminal justice agencies and Treasury officials estimated the laws could result in between 199 and 369 additional offences being recorded each year, by their second year in force.

The government estimates an extra £3m to £7m could be needed to support services dealing with the increased demand.

The minister said funding would be released as needed to prevent "resources arriving too late" as the legislation was introduced.

Miles also said the protections created by the laws applied to all victims, "regardless of sex or gender".

She said that while women and girls are "disproportionately affected" by domestic abuse and sexual violence, "men and boys are also victims of these forms of violence" and can face barriers when seeking support.

She added the government's Violence Against Women and Girls programme had been renamed the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Harms Partnership after the previous title caused "some confusion about the scope of the government's work in this area".

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