Stop early release for abusers survivors need justice

My name is Miriam Lake, and I am speaking out because I know first-hand what it means to fight for justice after years of abuse.

I was just nine years old when the abuse began. I lived through years of violence and cruelty, including being beaten, having my ribs broken, being burned with cigarettes and being forced to endure things no child should ever experience.

As an adult, I finally found the courage to report what happened to me. After years of fighting for justice, my abuser was eventually sentenced to four years in prison.

I believed that, finally, there was some accountability.

Then, after serving just 19 months, I was told he was being released early.

I cannot put into words what that did to me. I had spent years trying to rebuild my life and live without fear, only to be told that the person who had taken so much of my childhood would be released early.

This isn’t just about me. I think about the women and children who are living with abuse right now. I think about survivors who have finally found the courage to report their abuser and go through the trauma of the criminal justice system.

What message does early release send to them?

Survivors need to know that when they speak up, they will be protected. They need to know that their safety matters and that the sentence given by a court means something.

I have found my voice, and I will continue to use it for the women and children who don’t yet feel able to use theirs.

I am calling for people convicted of abuse to be properly considered before any early release, with the safety and wellbeing of victims and survivors at the heart of those decisions.

We have already been punished enough. We should not have to live with the fear that the person who abused us could be released early too.

And this is why I cannot stay quiet.

What happened to me is now happening to other survivors. Today, 1 October 2026, the new early-release scheme begins, and domestic abuse perpetrators are among those who can be released early. Around 700 prisoners are being released in the first wave, with further releases being phased over the coming months.

Women’s Aid has reported that survivors are already frightened about what this means for them and their children. In its latest survey, every service supporting survivors affected by the scheme reported that women were feeling scared for their physical safety.

I know that fear because I have lived it myself.

I know what it feels like to finally see an abuser sentenced, only to then be told they are coming home early.

And now more survivors are being put through that same fear.

This isn’t just about prison numbers. These are real women and children whose lives can be affected by the decision to release perpetrators early.

Survivors deserve to be heard. They deserve to be protected. And their safety must matter.