Say it with Flowers Lord Philips

I cannot fully express how appalled I was to read that there are draft guidelines suggesting perpetrators of domestic violence be let off with a lighter sentence if they show remorse. This makes a mockery of all the resources that have gone into Domestic Violence Awareness over the last decade. Professionals that interact with this field should by now have received some form of awareness training and at its most basic level should be aware of the ‘Charm Syndrome’. It would be impossible to judge whether the remorse of a perpetrator were genuine as it is a fundamental and well-honed trait of an abuser. As they sense their control lessening, their remorse takes on a more convincing guise. I have personally known two perpetrators to engage in Baptism of the full immersion kind but never to enter a church or pick up a bible again once they have won the survivor back. The idea of reducing a sentence where there is remorse is an insult to all survivors who have been manipulated in this way and an insult to all those who contribute to the awareness campaign. I think it is Lord Philips himself who should be showing remorse for this betrayal and sending flowers to all those affected if indeed his remorse is genuine.

Here is Lord Philips address for anyone inspired to send him their comments

Rt Hon the Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers
Royal Courts of Justice,
Strand, London WC2A 2LL

Alternatively write to your local MP

South East Surrey
Peter Ainsworth MP
Address: 2 Hoskins Road, Oxted, Surrey, RH8 9HT.