Expanding domestic violence law

The London Daily Mail reports:

Forcing your spouse to wear particular clothes, deciding which friends they can see and ‘excessive jealousy’ could become crimes as part of changes to domestic violence laws, it emerged last night.

Ministers are considering whether to make forms of ‘psychological abuse’ which do not involve violence into criminal offences punishable by law.

It follows a campaign from women’s groups who say there is too much focus on specific incidents in which someone was hurt by their partner.

‘Before you know it you could be in a Police State where a little bit of aggro could lead to the police being involved and someone being carted off to the police station.’

The proposals were published yesterday by the Domestic Violence Law Reform Campaign, which said existing laws fail to take into account ‘power and control’ in relationships.

It is calling on ministers to criminalise ‘coercive control’ and behaviour which causes psychological harm. ...

A survey of abuse victims carried out by the campaign group found 94 per cent of those surveyed said mental cruelty could be worse than physical violence.

The Home Office’s own definition of domestic violence already includes ‘coercive control’ - but until there has been no move towards making them a criminal offence.

This coercion can include being excessively jealous, stopping someone from seeing family and friends or controlling what the victim wears.

So if you hear about someone with a domestic violence conviction, maybe he just gave his girlfriend a dirty look about the outfit whe was wearing.

Meanwhile, here is some domestic violence with a cat:

The Oregon owners of a 22-pound housecat that trapped them in their bedroom after attacking their baby say they’re not giving up on their pet and are getting it medical attention and therapy.

Two days after police arrived to subdue the 4-year-old part-Himalayan cat, owner Lee Palmer of Portland said he’s taking the feline to a veterinarian. A pet psychologist also is due at the house to see the cat, named Lux.

“We’re not getting rid of him right now,” Palmer said. “He’s been part of our family for a long time.”

Palmer says the animal attacked his 7-month-old child after the baby pulled its tail. The child suffered a few scratches on the forehead.

On the 911 call, Palmer tells the dispatcher he kicked the cat “in the rear” to protect his child. Palmer says the animal then “just went off over the edge” — leading Palmer and his girlfriend to barricade themselves, their baby and the family dog in the bedroom for safety.

Someday the cops will be required to arrest either the cat or its owners, and maybe get a restraining order.