Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that abandonment, as well as coercive and controlling behaviour, is included as part of their strategy to tackle domestic violence.

This Government will not tolerate abuse through marriage or other relationships. We have taken a lead in tackling modern slavery, forced marriage and domestic violence and will continue to do so. All victims of domestic violence are entitled to the protection of the civil and criminal law while in the UK - regardless of immigration status. We will look carefully at any evidence of where further action might help to prevent abuse or support victims.

Abandonment can include blackmail, fraud, emotional abuse, financial abuse, controlling and coercive behaviour and domestic servitude and the Government has strengthened the law to capture these behaviours by, for example, introducing the new coercive or controlling behaviour offence which came into force on 29 December 2015. It carries a maximum 5 years imprisonment, a fine or both. It will mean victims who experience coercive and controlling behaviour that stops short of serious physical violence, but amounts to extreme psychological and emotional abuse, can bring their perpetrators to justice.