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The first domestic violence specialists have been placed in 999 control rooms in memory of a woman who was murdered by her ex-husband despite ringing police on the night she died.
Raneem’s Law has been launched in five pilot areas – West Midlands, Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Humberside.
The legislation – promised in Labour’s manifesto – is named after 22-year-old Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, 49, who were murdered by Ms Oudeh’s ex-husband in August 2018.
Ms Oudeh had called 999 more than a dozen times in the months leading up to her death, including to report threats to kill her, but police did not log the reports correctly, did not follow up and did not assess them correctly.
On the night she was killed, she rang 999 four times but the police did not respond in time.
The new domestic abuse specialists will ensure that calls for help are properly assessed, managed and responded to, the government said.
Their duties will include advising on risk assessments, making referrals to specialist services and identifying missed opportunities to safeguard victims.
The first phase will inform plans for a national rollout across 43 police forces in England and Wales and will be underpinned by £2.2m funding over the next financial year.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Every 30 seconds, someone calls the police about domestic abuse – over 100 people every hour seeking urgent help.
“That’s why we are determined to overhaul the police emergency response to domestic abuse, making sure that victims get the specialist support and protection they need. That must be Raneem and Khaola’s legacy.”
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