Women’s Aid survey shows survivors are feeling scared for their, and their children’s safety as first prisoners to be freed under Early Release Scheme

[IwantToRetire]

National domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid has published the findings from a survey of its members which showed that 100% of respondents supporting survivors affected by the Early Release Scheme (ERS) report women are feeling scared for their physical safety, as first tranche of prisoners ready for early release on October 1st.

The survey also found that 94.7% of those supporting women affected by the ERS said that survivors felt mentally unprepared for the release of their perpetrators and a staggering 78.9% also said that the survivors they were assisting with the scheme were feeling scared for the safety of their children, with some being forced to relocate or go into a refuge, as they prepare for their perpetrators to be released.

Also extremely concerning is that 84.2% said that survivors expecting the release of their perpetrators felt that their views have not been considered as part of the planned release and some even reported that for those who have been involved in discussion about licensing conditions, they were left with more questions than answers.

Continues at https://womensaid.org.uk/womens-aid-survey-shows-survivors-are-feeling-scared-for-their-and-their-childrens-safety-as-first-prisoners-to-be-freed-under-early-release-scheme/

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hundreds-prisoners-early-release-thursday-37716751

What Fiona Goddard is currently going through is an absolute disgrace, there are potentially hundreds of Women going through a similar nightmare.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crz6zq5pew89o

Shame on every one of the people.who has enabled this.

'Around 700 offenders will leave prison in England and Wales on Thursday under the government's early prisoner release plan - with a further 3,800 scheduled for release over the next year.

Ahead of the releases, victims have been sent letters informing them that their attackers will be let out early.'

What a nightmare. The very fact that letters have been sent to the victims shows that the authorities know this is a potentially dangerous move.

Abolutely shameful and unacceptable. Add to that the fact that many abusers are being granted bail (alongside child abusers, rapists etc) this an exceptionally dangerous time for so many women and children.

This isn't an early release scheme, this is a legislative change. The implementation of the sentencing act 2026, some prisoners who would've been released at 40% will now be released at 33.3%. There is a presumption for electronic motoring for all of these releases. There are numerous exemptions. Including the most serious violent and sexual offenders and anyone not on a standard determinate sentence.
I'm not making any pronouncement of support, but if it's to be discussed it needs to be accurate as a lot of the media coverage isn't.

There are also lots of other changes the legislation is here

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/2/contents

Thanks would expect WA press release to be accurate.

And for those who find Government documents a quick AI summary

What is being called the early release scheme is legally the implementation of a permanent structural change under the Sentencing Act 2026 rather than a temporary emergency-only release mechanism. 1]

📊 Understanding the Change

• Legal Mechanism: Implemented via the Sentencing Act 2026 in England and Wales.
• Structural Shift: Permanently changes standard determinate sentence release points.
• Core Driver: Designed to manage severe prison capacity constraints alongside long-term policy adjustments. 1, 2, 3]

⚖️ How the New Guidelines Work

• 📅 Standard Release Point: Moves from 40-50% to one-third for minor/standard offences.
• 📅 Longer Sentences: Moves from two-thirds to half of the custodial term.
• ⚠️ Key Exclusions: Explicitly bars life sentences, dangerous offenders, and specific serious crimes (like rape and serious child abuse).
• 🔍 Supervision: Remaining time is served under intensive community probation and monitoring. 1]

I did hear in one news interview that is seems some victims have still not had letters regarding the release of the person convicted of assaulting them or worse.

As always in the UK, whether an idea is a good or a bad one, we no longer seem to have the ability to implement them properly.

The victim communications in this have been awful. Exacerbated by the government changing the goal posts about who is exempt and who isn't, victims receiving multiple letters in a short space of time with different information and the victim liaison officers having to pick up the fall out.

Something does need to be done about prison overcrowding, my personal feeling is that the women's estate could be repurposed to house men. If prison is for public protection the vast majority of women pose a low or medium risk of serious harm to others and could be effectively managed in the community

Just horrifying. Thousands more abusers are on bail, still waiting a court date many years after being charged. Direct result of the deliberate defunding of all aspects of justice for women.

The message this sends about deterrence is seriously disturbing. If the penalty for committing a crime is not high, there will be little to no deterrence. With serious consequences for women. Sickening.

I firmly believe that offenders should serve 100% of their sentence.

We need to just start building more prisons, thats the bottom line.

It almost seems malicious tbh. The callousness is stunning.

Exactly.

'The MoJ said that while domestic abuse had a "profound and lasting" impact on victims, the government was committed to keeping the most dangerous prisoners behind bars.

It said offenders jailed for rape, child sex abuse offences and manslaughter would stay in prison, but going further than that would risk the prison system collapsing.

An MoJ spokesperson said the government was investing £1bn in support services, including placing domestic abuse specialists in 999 call centres.'

That £1bn could have built new prisons.

What are the call centres going to do, make soothing noises down the phone? Apologise?

I suppose the most domestic abuse support phone services can do is work to move the women and children. Into poorly funded refuges with limited spaces, with all the attendant major issues for the woman's finances, job and children's schooling. It seems to be a straight forward line of strategy now across the board: don't contain or stop the man, the woman (and children) budge and suck up the consequences caused by him. And this is primarily the less expensive option. Wholly sex based binary disadvantage.

I went through absolute hell when I reported my abusive ex to the police. It turned out that he had abused others before me and he clearly knew how to continue to torment me. I ended up having to give evidence in court. Despite his offences, he was also granted early release. This was some years ago now. The system was an absolute disgrace as he was going to be released without any restrictions. It was only with the intervention of someone that certain streets would be banned from being entered so it would be known if he entered them. It took me many years to recover and I would never go through this again. All the early-release is doing is further torturing traumatised victims and children. Victims tend to ask themselves what exactly is the point when the violent attackers, and controllers, only receive a ridiculously small sentence and are then let out early on top. When someone has tried to kill you, being allowed out early does indicate that it is not being held as being as serious a matter as it should

A travesty of justice. To think how quickly suitable space was found during the pandemic to use for additional hospital beds (and I think didn’t actually get used?) yet nothing similar has been done to keep criminals serving their sentences locked up…mind blowing.

I think what the govt are saying is that if abusers actually kill a woman they'll be put in prison proper. So that'll be a comfort.

Abused women may fear being killed, but they can be assured that of they are their deaths will have a serious consequence.

Also, sorry, I meant to offer my sincere sympathies.

'For the men, not for you.'

With the clarification that this is a permanent change to sentencing guidelines, I wonder if that means that for some women this will be a further disincentive to think it is worth going to the police let alone the lottery of a court case.

Have just heard a woman being interviewed on tv news saying she now feels her only option it to move aware from what has been her home and neighbourhood.