Raneem’s Law: domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms
Raneem’s Law is the Government programme placing domestic abuse specialists in police 999 control rooms to strengthen the response from the first emergency call.
The programme is named in memory of Raneem Oudeh and her mother, Khaola Saleem, who were murdered in 2018 after repeated contacts with police about Raneem’s safety.
Where Raneem’s Law operates
The Home Office launched the first phase on 21 February 2025 in five forces: West Midlands, Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Humberside.
On 24 June 2026, the Government announced a second phase covering 12 additional 999 control rooms, bringing the total number of participating forces to 17.
The 12 phase-two forces named by the Home Office are Thames Valley, West Yorkshire, Hampshire, Essex, Merseyside, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Cambridgeshire, North Wales, Gloucestershire, Cleveland and Dyfed-Powys.
What the specialists do
According to the Home Office, domestic abuse specialists can:
- advise call handlers and officers responding to domestic abuse incidents;
- review incoming cases and risk assessments;
- listen to live calls and support victim engagement;
- provide training to control-room staff;
- help ensure victims are referred to specialist support; and
- identify missed safeguarding opportunities.
The Government says early reports from participating forces suggest increased confidence among staff, earlier identification of some high-risk cases and quicker safeguarding action. These are early operational reports rather than an independent final evaluation of the programme.
Why first response matters
A person calling 999 may be frightened, monitored or unable to explain the full pattern of abuse. Domestic abuse can involve stalking, coercive control, threats, separation risk, children, financial control and repeated incidents.
Some people also experience forced marriage, FGM or family-based Dishonour Abuse alongside other forms of domestic abuse. Those risks can involve more than one perpetrator or wider family pressure.
Freedom Charity’s position is that specialist knowledge at first contact can help professionals recognise these patterns, but specialist advice still has to be followed by appropriate police attendance, safeguarding, referral and perpetrator management.
Freedom Charity’s view
Freedom Charity supports the principle of putting domestic-abuse expertise into emergency control rooms. The charity’s focus is on how the programme works in practice: whether risk is recognised, whether repeated reports are connected, whether children and other people at risk are safeguarded and whether specialist advice leads to appropriate action.
Freedom also argues that training should recognise coercive control, forced marriage, FGM and honour-based abuse / Dishonour Abuse where these form part of the risk picture.
These are Freedom Charity’s policy views. The Government’s own description of Raneem’s Law and its rollout is set out in the official sources below.
What changed in 2026?
The June 2026 expansion moved Raneem’s Law beyond the original five-force pilot. The Home Office said the second phase trebled the number of forces operating the approach and would extend domestic-abuse specialists to 12 more control rooms.
The Government has said learning from the programme will inform wider development of the approach. The long-term impact should therefore be judged against published evidence and outcomes as further evaluation becomes available.
If someone is in immediate danger
Call 999. If you need information about forced marriage, FGM or Dishonour Abuse, see Freedom Charity’s current helpline page for the charity’s contact route and alternative statutory or specialist services.
Official sources
- Home Office: first domestic abuse specialists embedded in 999 control rooms — 21 February 2025
- Home Office: 12 more 999 control rooms — 24 June 2026
Reviewed and updated 21 September 2026.