Abuse victims could get paid time off to seek help

Domestic abuse victims would be entitled to paid time off work under a proposed law due to be presented in Parliament.

Gloucester MP Alex McIntyre will introduce the Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

"Safe leave" would enable survivors to take time to find a place of safety, deal with health issues, and attend police interviews.

Mr McIntyre said his bill would "complement the work" being done by Labour to "halve violence against women and girls over the next decade".

His bill suggests creating the right to 10 days paid safe leave, although this would be subject to consultation.

Mr McIntyre held meetings with Gloucester organisations to understand the scale of domestic violence in the area, the work being done to support survivors, and what they would like to see.

Better support for survivors in the workplace was among the ideas, including safe leave, the MP said.

"I know that the home secretary and (justice secretary) Shabana Mahmood have placed victims and survivors at the heart of this mission and have spoken with (home office minister) Jess Phillips and (justice minister) Alex Davies-Jones about the brilliant work that they are already doing," Mr McIntyre said.

"This bill is intended to start a conversation about how we can make workplaces a safer place for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and violence, and I will continue to raise this issue on behalf of my constituents."

Mr McIntyre will have up to ten minutes to make a speech on why he wants to introduce his private member's bill, and any MP wishing to oppose it can also make a 10 minute speech.

The house will then decide whether or not the bill should be introduced.

If successful, the bill is taken to have had its first reading and Mr McIntyre will set a date for when he would like it to be debated at second reading.

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