Campaigner says domestic abuse law in niece’s name ‘will save lives’

The aunt of a woman murdered by an ex-partner has welcomed a “fundamental shift in how victims of domestic abuse are supported” as specialists are embedded in 999 control rooms across some police forces.

Nour Norris, whose niece Raneem Oudeh, 22, and sister Khaola Saleem, 49, were murdered by Ms Oudeh’s ex-partner in 2018, said their “voices, struggles, and sacrifices have led to a law that will save lives”.

The Home Office said that, under Raneem’s Law, domestic abuse specialists will work in emergency control rooms in five forces – West Midlands, Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Humberside Police.

Labour had made the commitment in its election manifesto and Ms Norris said: “This moment proves that change only happens when we refuse to accept failure.”

Four years after the murders, an inquest into their deaths found mistakes made by West Midlands Police had “materially contributed” to their deaths at the hands of Janbaz Tarin.

Tarin, who was 21 at the time of the attack on Northdown Road, Solihull, was jailed for life in December 2018 with a minimum term of 32 years.

On the night of the murders, Ms Oudeh had called West Midlands Police four times to register concerns for her safety, and the force had previously responded to 10 domestic abuse incidents linked to the case.

Five officers were disciplined over the failures, which Ms Oudeh’s family described as “beyond imagination”.

Ms Norris visited West Midlands Police’s control room in Birmingham with safeguarding minister Jess Phillips this week.

Ms Norris said: “Raneem called for help, and today the system finally answered.

“I can’t express enough how deeply emotional and significant this moment is.

“After six relentless years of campaigning for justice, I am returning to the force that failed my sister, Khaola, and my niece, Raneem.

“West Midlands Police had the chance to save them.

“Raneem called 999, desperate for help, but the system did not listen. It did not act. And because of that failure, we lost them.”

She said she was refusing to “point fingers or place blame”, instead choosing to believe change would come in the aftermath.

Ms Norris added: “Working alongside the Government and the police, especially West Midlands Police, has been a journey of change.

“Raneem’s Law is now being implemented, and with it, a fundamental shift in how victims of domestic abuse are supported.

“Raneem deserved the help she needed, my sister, Khaola, who broke my heart because she was caught in all of this, deserved to live around her children.

“This is not just about saving lives; it is also about ensuring that victims who survive have the chance to truly live, free from fear and harm.

“They deserve safety, dignity, and a future.

“This moment proves that change only happens when we refuse to accept failure. We cannot wait for another tragedy.

“We must build the safeguards that should have been there all along.

“And while nothing will bring Khaola and Raneem back, their voices, struggles, and sacrifices have led to a law that will save lives. Their legacy will live forever.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said an “overhaul” of how police emergency rooms respond to domestic abuse “must be Raneem and Khaola’s legacy”.

She said: “Every 30 seconds, someone calls the police about domestic abuse – over 100 people every hour seeking urgent help.

“That’s why we are determined to overhaul the police emergency response to domestic abuse, making sure that victims get the specialist support and protection they need. That must be Raneem and Khaola’s legacy.

“West Midlands has been determined to learn the lessons from the way Raneem and her mother were so badly failed and it is welcome that they, Bedfordshire, Humberside, Northumbria and Northamptonshire are all pioneering this ambitious approach to deliver the best possible response to victims at the worst time of their lives.

“We need to change the future for others, where we couldn’t for Raneem, as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.”

Ms Phillips paid tribute to Ms Norris for her “courage and determination” and said her fight to “change things for victims of domestic abuse before it is too late will save lives”.

Among the duties of the embedded experts will be giving advice to officers responding to incidents on the ground; reviewing incoming domestic abuse cases and their risk assessments; and listening in to live calls before giving feedback to call handlers.

They will also train force control room staff on domestic abuse and support the use of technology, including responding to victims with a video call.

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for domestic abuse, Assistant Commissioner Louisa Rolfe, said: “It’s important that we are both evidence and victim-led in our approach, and I would like to thank the victims and survivors, families and support organisations that continue to work with us to improve policing’s response to domestic abuse.”