At long last someone is getting that domestic abuse is about the abusive man - why do the women and children have to leave and live in fear? When a man is charged with domestic abuse and is bailed to stay away from his ex-partner he needs to stay in a bail hostel - if he is a persistent offender he needs to be remanded. Perpetrators need to be held responsible and accountable for their behaviour as it is their problem - there will need to be a huge injection into funding it is imperative as Lily Greenan says in this article that women and children's safety is paramount. Best of luck Cheif Constable House - hope you can win the Glasgow Council over to your way of thinking and convince the Scottish Government to pay for it. Working with men costs quite a lot of money and their needs to be parity for the victims - the women and children, they need resources too. But Another Witch to Burn is behind this initiative, hope it happens..
Dec 2 2007 By Norman Silvester
Husbands Face Time In Hostels To Keep Them Away From Victims
WIFE-BEATERS will be forced to live in hostels far from their victims in a domestic violence crackdown.
The measure was revealed by Strathclyde Police's new chief constable, Steve House, yesterday.
He is making domestic violence a priority after taking charge of Scotland's biggest force and says it is wrong for battered women and their children to be forced to hide in refuges.
Mr House wants to turn the tables and put the wife-beaters there instead.
The dad of three said: "Domestic violence is on the increase. A woman will be the victim an average of 20 times before she calls the police.
"Normally, when a woman is the victim of domestic violence, she ends up in a refuge.
"I would like to see more refuges and hostels for women. But the last thing you want is the victim and her children taken out of the home because of the disruption to schooling and family life.
"We would prefer the accused be made to go to a hostel and the victim stay in the family home."
Mr House revealed men who assault their wives and partners will be routinely kept in custody until they can be taken to court.
They will be sent to live in hostels - paid for by the police and local authorities - until their trial.
The Glasgow-born officer added: "An average of 45 per cent of attacks in the home happen in front of a child and that child will often go on to commit acts of crime and violence.
"Evidence shows teenagers who commit violence are usually from homes where they have seen domestic violence."
The hostel plan is part of a raft of measures which include allowing police to accept third-party reporting of domestic violence, where terrified victims won't come forward. The moves also propose the creation of "Cocoon Watch" schemes, where neighbours are encouraged to report suspected domestic violence to police.
Victims will also be given panic alarms and their attackers forced to attend anger-management classes.
The plans have been welcomed by women's rights campaigners and politicians.
Jean Cumming from support agency Crisis said: "I'm delighted the chief constable is introducing the measures and hope every other force will follow suit.
"We've been campaigning to encourage authorities to take more radical action to tackle domestic abuse because it has such a knock-on effect across society.
"Providing bail hostels is particularly welcome as it will give an abused family a breathing space."
The scheme will be similar to the estimated 100 bail hostels in England, where about 2000 alleged offenders await trail.
'The last thing you want is the victim and kids moved from home'
Steve House
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