LETTER : Victims of violence

From Professor Judith Masson

Sir: The Family Homes and Domestic Violence Bill is under threat because providing protection to unmarried victims of violence is thought by a few Tory MPs to undermine marriage. If there are no adequate remedies for those who are not married, they will have to marry - not because this will strengthen their relationships, but because marriage gives access to the courts. This turns marriage from a public expression of commitment into a remedy for failed relationships.

The use of violence is wrong. Surely no one can believe that it is less wrong because the victim is only your unmarried partner or her child. Laws that emphasise the wrong of violence and meet the needs of adult and child victims are too important to sacrifice for dogma about the place of marriage.

Yours faithfully,

Judith Masson

Leicester