Delivering on a manifesto commitment, today (Friday 21 February), Raneem’s Law has been launched to embed the first domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms across five forces to ensure that victims of domestic abuse receive more specialist support.
West Midlands, Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Humberside Police are all pioneering this new approach to improve the police response to victims of domestic abuse.
This is part of the government’s mission – underpinned by our Plan for Change – to better protect victims, pursue perpetrators and halve violence against women and girls in a decade.
These domestic abuse specialists will ensure that calls for help are properly assessed, managed and responded to. Specifically, their duties can include:
- providing advice to officers responding to incidents on the ground
- reviewing incoming domestic abuse cases and their risk assessments
- listening in to live calls and providing feedback to call handlers on victim engagement
- facilitating training sessions on domestic abuse for force control room staff
- ensuring victims are referred to specialist support services
- using expertise and understanding to manually check over the decisions made by 999 call handlers and identifying any missed opportunities to safeguard victims
- supporting the use of innovative technology such as responding to victims via videocall
The government will work closely with these first forces to gain insight and understanding into how this new approach is working, to inform a national roll-out across all 43 forces and new statutory guidance for Raneem’s Law as soon as possible.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
Every 30 seconds, someone calls the police about domestic abuse – over 100 people every hour seeking urgent help.
That’s why we are determined to overhaul the police emergency response to domestic abuse, making sure that victims get the specialist support and protection they need. That must be Raneem and Khaola’s legacy.
West Midlands has been determined to learn the lessons from the way Raneem and her mother were so badly failed and it is welcome that they, Bedfordshire, Humberside, Northumbria and Northamptonshire are all pioneering this ambitious approach to deliver the best possible response to victims at the worst time of their lives.
We need to change the future for others, where we couldn’t for Raneem, as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.
For too long, crimes disproportionately impacting women and girls have not been met with the specialist response they require.
Domestic abuse affects more than 2 million people every year, with the police receiving a call about it every 30 seconds on average. Yet only 1 in 5 victims are estimated to report incidents to the police.
Raneem’s Law was established in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, who were murdered by Raneem’s ex-husband in August 2018. There were 13 reports made to the police about concerns for Raneem’s safety, but no arrests were made. On the night she was killed, she rang 999 four times but the police did not respond in time.
To deliver a step-change in approach to tackling this appalling crime, the government are providing £2.2 million to fund the first stages of Raneem’s Law over the next financial year.
Nour Norris, lead campaigner, aunt and sister of Raneem Oudeh and Khaola Saleem, said:
Raneem called for help, and today, the system finally answered.
I can’t express enough how deeply emotional and significant this moment is. After six relentless years of campaigning for justice, I am returning to the force that failed my sister, Khaola, and my niece, Raneem. West Midlands Police had the chance to save them. Raneem called 999, desperate for help, but the system did not listen. It did not act. And because of that failure, we lost them.
I refuse to point fingers or place blame. I believed in change, and I believed in people wanting that to happen. Working alongside the government and the police, especially West Midlands Police has been a journey of change. Raneem’s Law is now being implemented, and with it, a fundamental shift in how victims of domestic abuse are supported.
Raneem deserved the help she needed, my sister, Khaola, who broke my heart because she was caught in all of this, deserved to live around her children. This is not just about saving lives; it is also about ensuring that victims who survive have the chance to truly live, free from fear and harm. They deserve safety, dignity, and a future.
This moment proves that change only happens when we refuse to accept failure. We cannot wait for another tragedy. We must build the safeguards that should have been there all along. And while nothing will bring Khaola and Raneem back, their voices, struggles, and sacrifices have led to a law that will save lives. Their legacy will live forever.
Because the scale of violence against women and girls is a national emergency, earlier this month we announced a new intelligence-led national policing centre for England and Wales. Backed by £13 million, the centre will bring together around 100 officers to focus on tackling crimes such as domestic abuse, stalking, rape and sexual offences and ensure that victims are protected.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls Jess Phillips said:
Raneem’s death showed us the devastating cost of missed opportunities.
Behind every 999 call is someone’s daughter, mother, sister or friend in fear. That’s why getting the response right the first time, every time, is absolutely crucial. Embedding specialism and expertise into 999 control rooms will ensure that when victims make that brave call for help, they get the expert response they need.
Working alongside Nour has shown me the true meaning of courage and determination. Her fight for Raneem’s Law, to change things for victims of domestic abuse before it is too late, will save lives. We are determined to halve violence against women and girls in a decade and won’t stop until every victim, up and down the country, gets the protection they deserve.
Under our Plan for Change, we are taking the serious action needed to drive change across the country. Launching Raneem’s Law is another part of our effort to ensure that government and law enforcement can effectively tackle these unacceptable crimes.
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Domestic Abuse, Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, said:
When a victim reports domestic abuse, they must have confidence that they will be protected from harm, which is why it’s so important that we get our response right from the moment we are called.
Forces work hard every day to ensure victims receive the right response and support, and embedding expertise and victim advocacy at the earliest opportunity is vital.
It’s important that we are both evidence and victim-led in our approach, and I would like to thank the victims and survivors, families and support organisations that continue to work with us to improve policing’s response to domestic abuse.
