Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Catherine Atkinson and Liz Jarvis

Wednesday 24th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Catherine Atkinson]

We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls, whether it happens on the street, in people’s homes or online. In order to tackle abuse and harms online, we have criminalised the creation of non-consensual deepfakes and are banning nudification tools. We are also putting a legal duty on platforms to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours. There is more that we can do, and I would be happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss solutions.

[Liz Jarvis (Eastleigh) (LD)]

My constituent Paris Shears was subjected to domestic abuse, including coercive control, by her former partner. During his trial, he changed his plea to receive a shorter sentence. Paris’s parliamentary petition to change the law has received over 100,000 signatures. Does the Minister agree that victims of domestic abuse, including coercive control, deserve better?

[Catherine Atkinson]

Our police receive calls relating to domestic violence every 30 seconds. Victims of domestic violence need to be treated well, and to see much more action taken, whether we are talking about our police, our courts, or the services that victims need. This Government are taking that action, not only by putting domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres, but through domestic abuse protection orders, but we know that there is so much more that is needed by victims of domestic abuse.