Victims’ Commissioner welcomes plans for new ‘restriction zones’, shifting focus from the victim to the offender

The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, has welcomed new plans to introduce restriction zones – a move aimed at strengthening protection for victims and survivors.

Under the proposals, offenders could be banned from going near victims’ homes, places of work or other specified locations, with breaches of these new restrictions resulting in up to five years in prison.

Commenting on the proposed reform, the Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove, said:

Victims have a right to feel safe – to live their lives without fear of running into the offender who caused them harm. At present, we have exclusion zones which place more limits on the freedom of the victim than the offender. This cannot be right.

I’m encouraged by plans to introduce restriction zones for offenders – a welcome shift in focus that I’ve long been calling for, curbing the freedoms of the offender, not the victim.

This is an opportunity to make sure the needs of victims are first and foremost.

The proposed measures are said to apply to serious violent and sexual offenders. While existing court-imposed orders and licence conditions can already include geographic restrictions, the new powers are expected to provide clearer, stronger protections and help reduce the burden on victims to change their routines or relocate to avoid contact with the perpetrator.

Baroness Newlove has repeatedly raised concerns about the disproportionate impact of post-sentence arrangements on victims. In too many cases, it is the victim who is forced to move home, change their route to work, or live in fear of an unexpected encounter.

The introduction of targeted restriction zones marks a step towards rebalancing this dynamic.

The Victims’ Commissioner will continue to monitor the development and implementation of these plans.

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