Emmerdale’s “harrowing” domestic abuse storyline has demonstrated the importance of TV drama in raising awareness of justice issues, a minister has said.
Alex Davies-Jones told the Commons she watched the TV soap and added she is “committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade”.
Belle King, played by Eden Taylor-Draper, has suffered coercive control and abuse at the hands of her manipulative husband, Tom King (James Chase), on the ITV soap for months as part of the storyline.
A special hour-long episode aired on Thursday last week and explored the character’s experience of domestic abuse through three possible futures for her.
Ms Davies-Jones told MPs: “As an avid Emmerdale fan, I did see that harrowing episode, and it just goes to show the importance of TV drama in raising awareness of these vital issues.”
Alison Hume, the Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby in Yorkshire, had said: “Last week, Emmerdale aired an upsetting episode dealing with the domestic abuse suffered by Belle Dingle.
“The storyline has shown just how difficult it can be for someone to leave an abusive relationship, not least because of the psychological control exercised by abusers.”
Ms Hume pressed the minister on a lack of support for domestic abuse victims in Scarborough, which according to the North Yorkshire and City of York Domestic Abuse Strategy 2024-2028 has the “greatest number of domestic abuse-related crimes” across several wards within the seaside town, followed by Selby.
Ms Davies-Jones replied: “This Government is committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade. The MoJ (Ministry of Justice) is working with Government departments across Whitehall including MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) to support local authorities to meet their statutory duties including refuges to all victims of domestic abuse who need it.
“We know that it is not just refuge support which is important, but wider, community-based support, and the MoJ provides funding to police and crime commissioners to commission these vital services for victims.”
Labour MP Dan Aldridge (Weston-super-Mare) asked the minister about action on spiking cases.
He said: “Many will be watching with horror the extraordinarily disturbing case unfolding in France, in which drugs were allegedly used to facilitate the abuse of a woman by her husband and over 70 men.”
Gisele Pelicot has told a court in Avignon, France, about the horror of discovering that her former spouse systematically filmed the suspected rapes by dozens of men, after he allegedly drugged her.
Dominique Pelicot, now 71, and 50 other men are standing trial on charges of aggravated rape and face up to 20 years in prison.
Ms Davies-Jones said: “This case in France is truly shocking, and we have all looked on in horror as the details have unfolded.”
On spiking, the minister told the Commons: “Spiking is a despicable crime. We have committed to introducing a new criminal offence for spiking and we are considering how best to implement this.
“But to be clear, in England and Wales, having sex with a person who cannot consent is rape and spiking with intent to engage in sexual activity is a specific offence, with a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.”
