DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OUTRAGE

England’s Prime Minister, Tony Blair has hit the headlines again this week, after it was announced that rapists’ jail sentences could be cut by 15% because jail is said to be “tougher”. What a load of rubbish! In addition, the Sentencing Guidelines Council (set up by Mr Blair) has suggested that men who hit their wives and partners should be sent on a course which challenges “their attitudes towards women”, rather than go to jail.

Women all over Britain (including myself) are outraged by this. Even Refuge (the charity which helps women who are victims of domestic violence) has condemned the new plans. It seems that Tony Blair is condoning domestic violence and trivialising it. If a member of his family was in an abusive relationship or had been raped, I’m sure he would take a different attitude. These plans will just give violent men free reign to rape and batter women and send out the completely wrong message to future offenders. They will put even more women’s lives at risk and also deter victims of domestic violence from coming forward. If Mr Blair lets these plans go ahead, he is letting down every woman in this country and sending out the message to men that it is okay to hit their wives and partners.