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Coalition is ‘putting women’s lives at risk’

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Summary of story from The Guardian, November 24, 2011

The coalition government’s cuts to legal aid, policing and street lighting are putting women disproportionately at risk, according to campaign groups and the Labour party.

In a letter to The Guardian, women’s groups urge the justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, to review proposed changes to legal aid.

The End Violence Against Women Coalition, the National Federation of Women’s Institutes and the Fawcett Society believe the changes will make it harder for victims of domestic violence to gain financial support.

They “fail to acknowledge that legal aid is a vital life-saving resource for women who have experienced violence,” the campaigners wrote.

Also under fire are cuts to local authority services. The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the coalition had a “blind spot” when it came to services designed to help women.

“A series of legislative changes have started to impact on women’s safety and services are being more heavily cut.”

Labour says cuts to policing, street lighting and women’s support services such as refuges will all affect women’s safety.

The party is launching a campaign to highlight the issue today, with a commission to gather further evidence, which will be led by former solicitor general Vera Baird.

As well as tightening the definition of domestic violence for those applying for legal aid, the government plans to delete DNA profiles of thousands of rape suspects under the protection of freedoms bill.

Cooper has drawn up a “personal safety and security bill”, whose proposals include a law that would let people find out if partners had a history of domestic violence. This is likely to face opposition from civil liberties groups.

Labour also proposes that stalking become a crime and wants a right of appeal against bail for those accused of domestic violence. These are being considered by the home secretary, Theresa May, and the courts.

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