A Perthshire domestic abuse survivor’s proposed new law to protect women who suffer miscarriages as a result of domestic violence will be debated next week.
The brainchild of Nicola Murray, ‘Brodie’s Law’ will be assessed by members of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee on Wednesday, February 2 to consider if it is to be ratified as an official legal act.
Following the meeting the committee will write to Nicola to notify her of the outcome and the committee’s considerations.
Nicola, from Stanley, has said courts should take into greater account the loss of a baby when sentencing those who abuse their partner.
In the summer of 2021 Nicola sat down with the PA, describing the abuse she herself has suffered which had led to three tragic miscarriages.
After losing son Brodie, she decided to set up Brodie’s Trust that same year to support women who have suffered through similar experiences.
And in a further mission, Nicola set up a petition last year to introduce an Unborn Victims of Violence Act – or ‘Brodie’s Law’ – to create a specific offence to “enable the judiciary to adequately prosecute perpetrators”.
Nicola, who previously studied law, worked as a legal secretary and qualified as a domestic abuse councillor in 2020, also conducted an extensive study in 2018 to support her cause.
The study included 40 female domestic abuse survivors, none of which were Brodie’s Trust service users.
The submission found that 95 per cent of respondents had been coerced into having a termination of pregnancy and 90 per cent had experienced a pregnancy loss or a still birth caused by domestic violence.
Nicola said she is keeping “everything crossed” that the committee consider passing Brodie’s Law.
She previously said: “I think it already should be law and they will decide whether to take it forward.
“When women are abused they will be better protected and the person who abused them will be dealt with in law.
“The next step will be me giving evidence to the committee in support of the law.
“I have already given them a study and I will be conducting others this year. I am optimistic about it going forward.”
Brodie’s Trust can be found at: www.facebook.com/brodiestrust
To contact Perthshire Women’s Aid, visit the following website: www.perthwomensaid.org.uk/ or call 01738 635404.
