This report describes partnership working between a number of Regions within Soroptimist International of Great Britain & Ireland and the criminal justice partners to explore the question “Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts (SDAC), How special were they in 2022?” The process replicates a pilot 2017 initiative led by Dame Vera Baird KC. She first involved
Soroptimist in observing the Specialist Domestic Violence Courts (SDVCs), producing a report asking “Specialist Domestic Violence Courts: How Special Are They?”1
.
In 2018, the initiative was repeated at two courts in Wiltshire by Soroptimist volunteers. In 2020 it was rolled out in the Midlands by Soroptimists, who spent over 800 hours at courts and completed more than 200 online questionnaires as they observed the practices of Specialist Domestic Violence Courts. (From the Executive summary). Record #8475