On the 7th of July 2025, NAPAC’s CEO Gabrielle Shaw joined Sky News to speak about something that matters deeply: why domestic abuse should be recognised in law as an aggravated offence.
While the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 defines domestic abuse, it still doesn’t name it as a specific criminal charge. That means the full harm caused (particularly to children) is often missed in court. For children, domestic abuse is not secondary trauma. It is a lived experience with long-term consequences for their mental health, physical wellbeing and future relationships.
At NAPAC, we support thousands of adult survivors of childhood abuse every year. One message is heartbreakingly consistent: those who were abused as children are four times more likely to experience domestic abuse as adults.
That’s not a coincidence.
It’s a cycle.
And the cycle continues when perpetrators aren’t held fully to account. Too often, the law captures what happened, but not how, or why. When courts fail to recognise the broader context of abuse (including emotional, sexual, financial, economic abuse and coercive control) survivors are left with diminished justice.
“I’m proud to have had the chance to speak up for those who lived in fear behind closed doors,” Gabrielle said, “and to support voices like Josh Babarinde OBE MP in pushing for the change we need.”
Watch Gabrielle’s full interview below:
