Tougher laws on domestic abuse are being drafted following a petition.

MHKs are taking action after campaigners called for domestic violence sentencing to ’fit the crime’.

The campaign was set up by members of Safe, Strong and Secure (3S), a charity founded by abuse survivors, in response to a court case where a Douglas man received a suspended sentence and a fine after a violent attack on his then girlfriend on Christmas Day.

The Examiner of March 13 reported that Shaun Liam McEntee, aged 34, of Holly Grove, Pulrose, was sentenced to four months’ custody by magistrates, suspended for 18 months, after dragging his partner around by the hair and grabbing onto her throat in front of her terrified children.

Almost 2,000 people have signed the petition, which has not yet closed, and which was reported in the Manx Independent of March 22.

This week members of the charity met with Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey MHK to discuss the possible changes to the law.

Tamasin Wedgwood, a founding member of 3S, said: ’It’s looking very positive. Bill Malarkey has already started to draft a bill and took notes on what we had to say at the meeting.

’It will be the first time domestic abuse is actually named in a bill.

’He explained that the law will cover coercive and controlling behaviour, not just physical abuse, and the other point was about the effect that abuse has on children.

’One of the things we had noticed in the court case was that the impact on [Mr McEntee’s ex-girlfriend’s] children, which didn’t seem to be mentioned.’

The charity members have been pleased with the response to their campaign.

’At first we were hoping for 1,500 signatures and then we got 1,900,’ Tamasin said. ’So we decided to aim for 2,000 instead and will probably close the petition once we get there.

They sent the petition to politicians.

MHKs Clare Bettison, Daphne Caine, Dr Alex Allinson, Alfred Cannan, Ann Corlett, Speaker Juan Watterson, Bill Malarkey and MLCs Kate Lord Brennan and Tanya August-Hanson all responded.

Mr Malarkey told the Courier: ’We totally support what the group is doing.

’The department is currently drafting legislation before it will go out to public consultation in May and June.

’We were aware of [the petition] in advance, which has highlighted the domestic abuse problem that we have been aware of for a long time.

’We’re happy to work with the group when it goes to public consultation.

’In May and June, we will see what response the bill will get from the public, which I’m sure will be a positive one.’

The Minister said that the draft bill would include measures on coercive behaviour, such as financial control, and a domestic protection service that will focus on detaining violent individuals until they have ’calmed down’.

’We’re also looking at developing safe houses to help [victims] in that situation walk away from it,’ he added.

’The new laws will give the victim more powers for separation.’

A suggestion made in the petition was to make ’training’ in abuse for the judiciary and magistrates ’compulsory’.

However, the Minister said that the department could not train nor control what the judiciary administers.

The department and 3S hope that people who have experienced domestic violence and ’unfair’ sentencing will feel encouraged to come forward and have their input in the law.

It is believed that the changes to the law will also help raise public awareness and, as the Minister says, ’encourage people to report domestic violence, as it is kept under the covers’.

Two demonstrations will be run by 3S in Douglas on Saturday, March 7, to bring awareness of domestic abuse and sexual assault in the island, which they say are ’hidden issues’. Some politicians will be there.

The ’#Can’tkeepquit’ campaign will take place outside Marks and Spencer and the Strand shopping centre in Douglas at 1pm.

For more information about the petition, search ’Change the law to make sentencing for domestic violence fit the crime’ on the change.org website.