Domestic Abuse Bill: For these victims, a new law is long overdueon April 30, 2021 at 11:13 pm

The landmark Domestic Abuse Bill became law this week. Two survivors describe what it means for them.

In theory, the “rough sex” defence should not have been admissible in this case because a legal precedent says a person cannot consent to serious bodily harm. However, campaigners say that in practice the CPS and police have dismissed cases of violence against women as “rough sex”, and decided to drop them rather than go ahead with prosecution. In a letter to Mary, the CPS suggested that the courts could overturn the legal precedent, and the defence could be allowed if her case were taken forward.