Labour pledges ‘Raneem’s Law’ to overhaul police response to domestic violence

Labour has pledged to introduce Raneem’s Law, named after Raneem Oudeh who was murdered by her ex-partner in 2018 after West Midlands Police missed opportunities to protect her (West Midlands Police/PA)

The police response to domestic violence must be overhauled to ensure there are “no more missed opportunities” to save women’s lives, the Labour Party has said.

On Wednesday, the party promised to introduce “Raneem’s Law”, named after Raneem Oudeh, to transform the way the police handle cases of violence against women and girls.

Ms Oudeh, 22, and her mother, 49-year-old Khaola Saleem, were murdered by Ms Oudeh’s ex-partner in 2018. Four years later, an inquest into their deaths found mistakes made by West Midlands Police had “materially contributed” to their deaths.

Solihull stabbings — Nour Norris, the sister and aunt of Khaola Saleem and Raneem Oudeh, said she hoped ‘Raneem’s Law’ would prevent families going through what her own had experienced (Aaron Chown/PA)

On the night they were killed, Ms Oudeh had called West Midlands Police four times to register concerns for her safety, and the force had previously responded to 10 domestic abuse incidents linked to the case. Five officers were disciplined over the failures, which Ms Oudeh’s family described as “beyond imagination”.

Labour’s proposals would see domestic abuse specialists placed in 999 control rooms across the country, following a system used in Northumbria, and improve early intervention by introducing stricter time limits for considering whether victims need a protective civil order.

Police forces will also be required to have a dedicated officer overseeing the enforcement of protective orders in these cases, and to publish figures on the number they have applied for and any reasons for not applying for civil orders.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said: “Missed opportunities cost lives and far too many have already been lost. We cannot stand by while more women, like Raneem and Khaola, are so badly failed by the system charged with keeping them safe.

“Labour will deliver a step change in tackling violence against women and girls, overhauling the early policing response to these terrible crimes that devastate lives and corrode the very fabric of our society.

“Enough is enough. We cannot stand by as every generation faces the same threats of abuse and violence as the last. That’s why we have set out an unprecedented mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.”

Labour Party Conference 2023 — Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said Labour would deliver a ‘step change’ in how police deal with domestic violence (Peter Byrne/PA)

Nour Norris, one of Ms Saleem’s sisters and Ms Oudeh’s aunt, said: “As a family we are scarred by the agony of domestic violence.

“Our hope is simple: that the police will truly understand the hurdles faced by women who report violence, threats and abuse, and that they transform their approach to saving lives.

“Our plea is for a future where no other family suffers as we have. Raneem’s Law will help to make sure that is the case.”