Gloucestershire Constabulary to Introduce Domestic Abuse Specialists Under ‘Raneem’s Law’

The Hollie Gazzard Trust has welcomed the announcement that Gloucestershire Constabulary will be among 12 additional police forces to embed domestic abuse specialists within their 999 control rooms as part of the next phase of ‘Raneem’s Law’.

The expansion, announced by the Home Office, will bring the total number of police forces operating the initiative to 17 across England and Wales, with the Government committing to roll the programme out nationally by 2029.

Established in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, who were murdered in 2018 after multiple calls to police for help, ‘Raneem’s Law’ places specialist domestic abuse advisers alongside 999 call handlers to strengthen the police response from the very first point of contact.

Early evidence from the first phase of the programme suggests the initiative has already led to:

• Earlier identification of high-risk domestic abuse cases.
• Greater confidence among call handlers and responding officers.
• Faster safeguarding decisions and referrals to specialist support services.

The inclusion of Gloucestershire Constabulary is particularly significant for the Hollie Gazzard Trust, which has long campaigned for greater awareness, earlier intervention and stronger protection for victims of domestic abuse, stalking and violence against women and girls.

Jane Harvey, Chief Executive of the Hollie Gazzard Trust, said:

“We warmly welcome the expansion of ‘Raneem’s Law’ and are particularly pleased to see Gloucestershire included in this next phase.

Every victim deserves to know that when they make the difficult decision to call for help, they will be met with understanding, expertise and a response that recognises the risks they may be facing.

Early intervention saves lives. Embedding domestic abuse specialists within 999 control rooms is an important step towards ensuring victims receive the protection they need at the earliest possible opportunity.”

The announcement comes six months after the Government launched its Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and forms part of its commitment to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.

At the Hollie Gazzard Trust, we know that education, awareness and an effective criminal justice response all play a vital role in preventing abuse and protecting victims. We welcome this latest step towards improving support for those at greatest risk.

You can read the full Home Office announcement on the GOV.UK website.