Sons of bullying Spalding man who shot dead their mother and sister back NSPCC calls for children to be recognised as domestic abuse victims

The sons of a bullying Spalding man who shot dead their mother and sister have backed calls from the NSPCC for a change in the law regarding domestic abuse.
Luke and Ryan Hart. Copyright: NSPCCLuke and Ryan Hart. Copyright: NSPCC
Luke and Ryan Hart. Copyright: NSPCC

Lance Hart (57) killed his wife Claire (50) and their 19-year-old daughter Charlotte with a sawn-off shotgun before turning the gun on himself on July 19, 2016.

Following his death his sons Luke and Ryan told how they had endured a "lifetime of struggle" at the hands of their controlling father.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Now, they have backed calls from the NSPCC to protect children from the effects of domestic abuse by recognising them as victims in their own right.

Luke and Ryan Hart. Copyright: NSPCCLuke and Ryan Hart. Copyright: NSPCC
Luke and Ryan Hart. Copyright: NSPCC

The children's charity says the Government’s proposed new definition of domestic abuse ignores the effect growing up in abusive households has on children, despite it being a factor in more than half of child protection assessments last year.

It is urging the Government to publish its Domestic Violence and Abuse white paper without delay and recognise children as victims in its domestic abuse laws.

Its proposed new statutory definition of domestic abuse in its consultation only refers to the effects of abuse on those aged 16 and over.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The consultation closed last May but the Government has yet to publish the outcome.

The NSPCC received 7,377 contacts to its helpline from members of the public concerned about children in domestic abuse situations in 2017/18.

In the same period Department for Education figures show domestic violence was a factor in 246,720 child protection assessments across England, leaving potentially a quarter of a million child victims unrecognised by the justice system.

Legal recognition as victims of domestic abuse would give children greater explicit protection through domestic abuse protection orders, would help professionals to take action to protect children at risk, and would help authorities ensure there are specific services to help young people overcome the trauma of exposure to domestic abuse.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ryan said: "We didn’t recognise it as abuse because there was never any violence but it was coercive control, financial, emotional, psychological abuse.

"What is often missed is the effects of living in that environment has on kids, growing up not only witnessing abuse but experiencing it day in and day out, how that affects us growing up and into adult life.

"Children living with domestic abuse are not just witnesses to the abuse, they are victims themselves. Luke and I know first-hand the psychological effects, emotional effects can have on you by seeing someone you love being a victim of abuse."

In Peterborough, the number of Child Protection Assessments where domestic abuse was a factor in 2017/18 was 1,333.

In Cambridgeshire it was 2,803.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Services such as the NSPCC’s Domestic Abuse, Recovering Together (DART) help children and mothers recover from domestic abuse together and can help minimise the long term impact domestic abuse has on child victims.

Almudena Lara, head of policy at the NSPCC, said: "It is quite astonishing that the Government is dragging its feet when deciding whether to recognise young people as victims when almost a quarter of a million children that we know of are living with domestic abuse in England alone.

"As well as the day-to-day distress that living with domestic abuse creates, it can cause long-term problems into adulthood that can only be addressed through targeted services that understand the complex trauma children living with domestic abuse experience.

“For this to be done effectively we need government to open their eyes to the harm domestic abuse has on children and give them victim status in the upcoming white paper to ensure they receive the services they need.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Adults concerned about a child living with domestic abuse can contact the NSPCC helpline confidentially for advice and support on 0808 800 5000, or email [email protected].

RELATED