My name is Daniel Popa, and I am a male victim of domestic abuse.

In October 2024, I signed a joint tenancy for a new home in Oxfordshire with my partner, believing we were building a future together. Instead, I was subjected to months of emotional, psychological, physical, and financial abuse.

When I finally tried to leave for my safety, I discovered I was trapped. The letting agent refused to release me from the joint tenancy without my abuser’s consent, effectively forcing me to keep living in the same home and keep paying for it. Even when I presented evidence of abuse and police involvement, they prioritized contract obligations over safety.

I turned to Thames Valley Police for help. Despite multiple reports, formal complaints, and clear evidence, they failed to take meaningful action to protect me. On one occasion, my case was closed without my knowledge, I was never even given written confirmation.

This is not just my story. Tenancy traps are a nationwide problem. Male and female victims are routinely overlooked by police and support services. These failures put lives at risk.

I am calling for:

Urgent legal reform to allow domestic abuse victims to exit joint tenancies without the abuser’s consent.
Accountability from Thames Valley Police for systemic inaction and bias against male victims.

I have already paid more than £20,000 in rent and bills for a home I cannot safely live in. My mental health, financial stability, and life plans have been destroyed.

No one should have to choose between safety and financial ruin.

Please sign and share this petition to demand justice, for me, and for every victim silenced by tenancy traps and institutional failure.

Decision Makers:

• Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – responsible for housing law and tenancy reform.
• Home Secretary – responsible for national policing strategy and domestic abuse policy.
• Minister for Safeguarding – oversees domestic abuse policy, including protections for male victims.
• Chief Constable Jason Hogg, Thames Valley Police – accountable for the handling of domestic abuse cases within Thames Valley.
• Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, Matthew Barber – responsible for ensuring Thames Valley Police fulfil their duties to all victims.
• Housing Ombudsman Service – authority to review and address failures by letting agents and landlords.
  Leader of Oxfordshire County Council – local authority with influence over housing and victim support policies.

Why They Are the Decision Makers:

These individuals and bodies have direct authority over the key failures in my case:

• Tenancy Law Reform – to end tenancy traps that force domestic abuse victims to remain financially or physically tied to their abuser.
• Police Accountability – to address systemic failures in protecting male victims of domestic abuse and ensure cases are handled fairly and lawfully.
• Landlord and Letting Agent Conduct – to ensure landlords and agents are legally bound to prioritize victim safety over contractual convenience.

By addressing both the legal framework and institutional failures, these decision makers can ensure that no other victim is left trapped, unprotected, and financially destroyed, as I have been.

End tenancy traps. Hold police accountable. Protect all victims.

Thank you for standing with me.

#SafetyDenied