Milton Keynes MP welcomes new laws to make controlling behaviour a criminal offence

Ben last year co-sponsored an amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill that ensured victims would get priority housing if they needed to flee an abusive situation.

Now the government is strengthening the Bill further by making controlling or coercive behaviour an offence, even if the victim no longer lives with the perpetrator.

They are also adding new offence of 'non-fatal strangulation', which is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Legislation will be further tightened to ensure threats to share ‘revenge porn’ or intimate images are punishable.

Ben, who is MP for MK North, said: "I was proud my co-sponsored amendment was accepted by the Government last year as it will make a real difference to domestic abuse victims and I'm pleased the Government will be strengthening this important Bill even further.

"We are doing more to protect victims and to clamp down on the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.