The Criminalisation of Domestic Violence in the 20th Century

How was domestic violence criminalised?

During the 20th century, significant new laws were created to tackle violence and intimidation between people who were, or had been, in a relationship.

What laws were passed against domestic violence?

During the 20th century, laws to protect people against domestic violence were strengthened in 3 main ways:

• ❖ The Domestic Violence Act, passed in 1976, gave victims the right to ask for an injunction against a violent partner. This meant a court would issue an order demanding the offender stay away from a person or place.
• ❖ In 1991, rape within marriage was recognised as a crime. It became possible to prosecute a husband for raping his wife.
• ❖ In 2014, the law changed to make controlling and coercive behaviour towards a partner a crime. This could include telling a partner who they could see, what they could wear, or stopping their access to money.