by LISA HERITAGE

DOMESTIC violence was highlighted in a one-day visit to the Spa by Solicitor General, Harriet Harman.

Ms Harman visited the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Heritage Way on Monday, to see how it handles domestics, rapes and victims on the ground.

Her visit came less than a week after the new Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims bill was announced on Tuesday, December 2.

The bill would create a "yellow card" system as one of many measures to protect people from abusive partners. The first domestic violence legislation in longer than 30 years, it will also cover gay couples and unmarried heterosexuals.

The Solicitor General said: "Prosecutors working on domestic violence have to handle some of the most tragic cases, where women live in fear, children grow up in households marred by violence and, in the most tragic cases, two women are killed every week.

"There is no excuse for domestic violence. The Domestic Violence Bill is a tough new law which will protect women and offer violent men a choice: stop the violence or you will face prison."

The mother-of-three and MP for Camberwell and Peckham learned how the CPS West Mercia Domestic Violence Policy was making progress in challenging attitudes to the crime.

Ms Harman also visited Redditch police station on the same day to hear about how CPS West Mercia and West Mercia Police are co-operating on charging suspects.

She added: "The new stay away order will allow the courts to give greater protection to women suffering domestic abuse."

"The Government has done a great deal to give extra help, including supporting the national helpline. But what the Bill will do is focus on prevention, with police and prosecutors stepping in decisively as soon as violence starts and before it escalates."